"We will make LGBT (lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth normal. We will have a centre for them... like Alcoholics Anonymous centres. We will train them and give them medicines too," Mr. Tawadkar said, cited by BBC. He also added that a special examination of people with nontraditional sexual orientation is required in order to ‘cure’ them and return them to ‘normal life’.
Tawadkar’s statement sparked resentment in India. Many people accused the minister of homophobia and discriminating views and posted in Twitter that Tawadkar himself needs medical help.
What needs curing, Dear Goa Minister is not homosexuality, but your anachronistic, insensitive, intolerant way of thinking.
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) 13 января 2015
Homosexuality still remains a taboo issue in India. Same-sex relationships are considered a criminal offence and are punishable by a 10 year imprisonment. Although in April 2014, India's Supreme Court identified transgender people as a third gender, they can still be arrested for consensual gay sex and face penalty, the Washington Post reported.
During his visit to India, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his criticism with regard to the criminalization of homosexuality in the country. He stressed that the principle of all people’ equality should be maintained and that such legislation contributes to increasing discrimination and intolerance, according to BBC.
