Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday accused the Centre of displaying a "complete lack of political will" to secure meaningful rights for same-sex couples and LGBTQIA+ persons after the government disclosed in Parliament that a high-powered committee constituted under the Supreme Court's Supriyo judgment has met only twice since its formation over two years ago and is yet to submit a report.
The criticism came after Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B.L. Verma, in a written reply to an unstarred question raised by Tharoor in the Lok Sabha, said the committee—constituted pursuant to the Supreme Court's directions in Supriya Chakraborty & Anr. vs. Union of India—held meetings on May 21, 2024, and August 22, 2024, but has not submitted its recommendations. The minister also informed Parliament that the Supreme Court had not prescribed any timeline for the panel to submit its report.
Responding to the government's reply, Tharoor said it "lays bare the utter failure" of the high-powered committee and raises serious questions about the Centre's commitment to implementing the Supreme Court's directions.
"While Parliament remains dysfunctional, with Bills being passed without discussion, we are still getting written replies to our unstarred questions. Here's one," Tharoor said.
"The government's reply to my question lays bare the utter failure of the high-powered committee constituted pursuant to the Supreme Court's Supriyo judgment and, more importantly, the government's complete lack of political will to address the concerns of same-sex couples and secure meaningful rights for our fellow citizens in the LGBTQIA+ community," he said.
Highlighting the government's own response, Tharoor noted that the committee has met only twice in more than two years and that its last meeting took place over two years ago without producing "a single recommendation or report."
According to the minister's reply, the committee, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, was constituted to examine measures for same-sex couples and LGBTQIA+ persons to address discrimination and improve access to services and welfare schemes.
Its terms of reference include recommending measures to prevent discrimination in access to goods and services, protect queer persons from violence, harassment and coercion, prevent involuntary medical treatment and surgeries, improve mental health support, ensure equal access to social welfare entitlements and examine any other related issues.
The government further told Parliament that, pending the committee's report, interim measures have been taken to facilitate access to public services and welfare schemes for same-sex couples and LGBTQIA persons, the details of which have been placed in an annexure to the reply.
Tharoor, however, argued that these interim measures fall well short of the legal reforms envisioned by the Supreme Court.
"The interim measures cited by the government cannot substitute for meaningful legal reform. Advisories do not create rights. They do not guarantee equal access to housing, employment, healthcare, inheritance, joint financial benefits, next-of-kin recognition, medical decision-making or public services," he said.
He added that if the government believes these issues should await the committee's recommendations, it owes the LGBTQIA community an explanation for why the panel has remained "virtually inactive" for over two years.
"One is compelled to ask: was the committee constituted merely to satisfy the Court, with no genuine intention of carrying its mandate forward? The Government's own reply, regrettably, points in that direction," Tharoor said.
The high-powered committee was constituted following the Supreme Court's October 2023 verdict in Supriyo, in which the court declined to legalise same-sex marriage but directed the Union government to establish a committee to examine administrative and policy measures aimed at reducing discrimination against same-sex couples and LGBTQIA+ persons and improving their access to public services and welfare benefits.
For More News Updates Follow Us On www.tconews.in
