Maharashtra Health Minister clarifies LGBT comment, says counselling for HIV victims

Maharashtra Health Minister Deepak Sawant on Tuesday clarified his earlier statement regarding the LGBT communities, stating that he had only called for proper counselling to be provided to those afflicted with HIV.

"It [the LGBT community] was not mentioned, I was just answering a question. I said that there should be a proper counselling for this. I should be tested if I am having HIV+, but without testing you should not have the preconceived idea about the certain group of people," Sawant said.

"If the test is positive then we should have the treatment for that and that treatment is available at every centre. Certain organisations are working for that, we will definitely give grant to them," he added.

 

On Monday, Sawant, while speaking in the Maharashtra Assembly, had allegedly said that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders were in need of psychological treatment and counselling.

Sawant said this while responding to a query seeking to know the government's action plan to contain the transmission of HIV among the LGBT community.