Orlando attack: Nitish's JD-U only party to stand with LGBTs in their grief

Janata Dal (United) is saddened by the tragic deaths in Orlando, Florida. We share the grief of the affected families and the LGBT community

— Janata Dal (United) (@JanatadalU) June 13, 2016

If this tweet left any doubts about the party's stand on LGBT rights, they were cleared through another tweet. Responding to a tweet by journalist Barkha Dutt, the JD(U) firmly expressed its commitment to the rights of the LGBT community.

Also read - Why not call the Orlando Killings an LGBT massacre ?

@BDUTT Janata Dal (United) stands firmly in support of LGBT community and vouches for LGBT rights

— Janata Dal (United) (@JanatadalU) June 13, 2016

The JD(U) stand is in sharp contrast to not just Indian, but even US politicians, particularly those belonging to the Republican Party, who shied away from mentioning the 'G word'. For instance, presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump badgered President Barack Obama to mention "radical Islam" even as he himself failed to mention LGBTs, who were the main victims of the attack.

Is President Obama going to finally mention the words radical Islamic terrorism? If he doesn't he should immediately resign in disgrace!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016

Why is this significant?

The Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) deserves credit for taking such an unambiguous stand. Even though the party just has 2 MPs in the Lok Sabha, it is the leading the government in Bihar. Also, after his victory in the Bihar Assembly elections last year, Nitish Kumar is increasingly being seen as a potential challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

One also hopes that this would translate into the JD(U) making efforts to strike down the draconian Section 377 that criminalises homosexuality.

Till now, most political parties in India have either stood in favour of the section or, at best, been ambiguous on it.

The BJP, for instance, has mostly been of the view that homosexuality is unnatural, though it has tried to dilute its stand of late.

In 2013, the Congress had urged that Section 377 be amended but it didn't take any steps in that direction.

Last year, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor had introduced a private member's bill in the Lok Sabha, seeking the decriminalisation of homosexuality, but it was defeated by a margin of 24 votes to 71, with the BJP voting decisively against it.

Praise for JD(U)

According to the figures submitted by the Union government to the Supreme Court in 2012, there are about 2.5 million gay people in India. But they have never been an organised vote bank, perhaps because of the stigma involved.

Therefore the JD(U) has little to gain politically by taking a stand in favour of LGBT rights. On the contrary, it runs the risk of alienating hardline anti-gay sections in various religious communities. Yet, the party took a stand and deservedly got applauded for it.

First party in India that I know to mention LGBTQ in its tweet of mourning. Now take it to parliament,scrap 377 https://t.co/64yPsDtYYM

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) June 13, 2016

Thankfully we here this from some political party https://t.co/bvMfwCP2TA

— Rigu Bhatti (@Riguu) June 13, 2016

@janatadalu Very brave and progressive of an Indian political party to acknowledge the LGBT community in a tweet. Now #scrapsec377

— hitchophile (@cogi2ergo_sum) June 13, 2016

In a country where S.377 is applicable, good to see a political party calling the crime out by identifying victims https://t.co/eHk2j2l3hv

— Dhamini (@dhamini) June 13, 2016

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