Ramadoss favours legalizing homosexuality

Taking a liberal stand on homosexuality, Federal Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss said he favoured lifting of the ban on homosexuality to tackle the spread of HIV and AIDS in the country.

Speaking at a function organized to inaugurate three new blocks at National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore on Tuesday, Ramadoss said legalizing homosexuality has become a priority for his Ministry.

Though his Ministry had managed to bring down the rate of HIV-affliction, 86 per cent of which is spread through sexual contact, Ramadoss said the authorities were finding it difficult to bring homosexuals under the ambit of the programme as homosexuality is regarded as an offence.

The National AIDS Control Programme has succeeded in bringing down the incidence of HIV affliction from 0.91 per cent to 0.34 per cent, which has reduced the number of people affected with HIV/AIDS in the country from 5.2 million to 2.3 million. “But, it is the sex among transgenders that was posing a challenge in our efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS”, he said.

He claimed that the India had about 2.45 million MSM (men who have sex with men), who are at a considerable risk to contract and spread HIV/AIDS. As homosexuality is an offence under law, these people refuse to come forward, seek assistance and obtain treatment, Ramadoss regretted.

Hence, he said Section 377 of Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes MSM and other “unnatural sex acts” should go. “Structural discrimination against those who are vulnerable to HIV such as sex workers and MSMs must be removed if our HIV/AIDS programmes are to reach their logical end”, Ramadoss said.

Ramadoss also emphasized the need for sex education in schools. “It is time to talk out it. Our children should be empowered to know about HIV/AIDS”, he said.