In a significant step, the All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC), a unit of the Indian National Congress party, has set up ‘LGBTQIA+ Vertical’ to bring in queer representation in the party. The wing will be headed by Mario da Penha, an LGBTQIA+ activist and historian.
“Mario da Penha is appointed all-India head of the LGBTQIA+ domain vertical of the All India Professionals’ Congress. Mr Mario is a #queer historian, and LGBTQIA+ activist for over 20 years and was a co-petitioner in the Section 377 and Marriage Equality cases,” the AIPC announced on Wednesday, September 4.
This will make the Congress the first national party to have a dedicated LGBTQIA+ wing. Earlier in 2020, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had set up an LGBT Cell, but the body is now defunct.
Speaking to TNM, Mario said, “This is a significant move for a mainstream national party because it is an acknowledgement that queer people exist and have political aspirations like any other citizen in the country. Queer rights can’t always be delivered by the courts, it is time for political parties to make it a part of their work.”
Mario further said, “I hope this signals to the LGBTQIA+ community that a space exists for them and that the community must claim a space for themselves. There is a limit to how much we can demand from the courts. Queer people are going to have to learn to work with political organisations in order to enjoy their rights.”
AIPC chairperson Praveen Chakravarty told TNM, “It is important for a political party in India to walk the talk. We have come out in support in the past of progressive rulings by the Supreme Court. Our manifesto had a section for LGBTQIA+ rights. Now it is time for us to act and show that LGBTQIA+ political representation matters to the Congress. We want the LGBTQIA+ to consider this a forum for them to speak about issues that matter to them. And we hope that this will lead to them contesting in elections as well.”
Ahead of the 2024 general elections, the Congress had said in its manifesto that: “Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution will be expanded to prohibit discrimination on the ground of ‘disability’, ‘impairment’, or ‘sexual orientation’.”
The Congress also said that it would bring in a law to recognise civil unions between couples belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community, but had added the rider that such a law would be passed after “wide consultation”.
It may be noted, however, that the Congress-led state government in Rajasthan had opposed marriage equality during the Supreme Court hearings in 2023.