New Delhi: United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has accused India of fomenting intolerance with its ban on gay sex amid uproar over a Goa minister's plans for centres to "make homosexuals normal".
Speaking in New Delhi, the UN chief referred to India's colonial-era law banning gay sex and said he "staunchly opposed the criminalisation of homosexuality."
He said in a statement, "I am proud to stand for the equality of all people - including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. I speak out because laws criminalising consensual, adult same-sex relationships violate basic rights to privacy and to freedom from discrimination. Even if they are not enforced, these laws breed intolerance."
The Supreme Court restored a ban on gay sex last year, ruling that the responsibility for changing the law, dating back to 1861, rested with lawmakers and not judges.
The UN chief's comments came on the same day that a minister of Goa's ruling BJP announced his plans to make homosexuals "normal" in the state.
"We will make them normal. We will have centres for them, like Alcoholic Anonymous centres," Mr Tawadkar said, adding that the state would "train them and give them medicines too".
His comments drew widespread criticism and ridicule from gay rights groups and social media with jeering remarks posted on Twitter.
Speaking in New Delhi, the UN chief referred to India's colonial-era law banning gay sex and said he "staunchly opposed the criminalisation of homosexuality."
He said in a statement, "I am proud to stand for the equality of all people - including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. I speak out because laws criminalising consensual, adult same-sex relationships violate basic rights to privacy and to freedom from discrimination. Even if they are not enforced, these laws breed intolerance."
The Supreme Court restored a ban on gay sex last year, ruling that the responsibility for changing the law, dating back to 1861, rested with lawmakers and not judges.
The UN chief's comments came on the same day that a minister of Goa's ruling BJP announced his plans to make homosexuals "normal" in the state.
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"We will make them normal. We will have centres for them, like Alcoholic Anonymous centres," Mr Tawadkar said, adding that the state would "train them and give them medicines too".
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His comments drew widespread criticism and ridicule from gay rights groups and social media with jeering remarks posted on Twitter.
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