Gay prince to help with AIDS awareness in Jail
Manvendrasinh Gohil runs Lakshya Trust that works among gay men
Prince Manvendrasinh Gohil, who had created ripples when he had openly admitted his homosexuality, has been invited by jail authorities to create awareness on HIV and AIDS at Sabarmati Central Jail and all other jails in the state.
Gohil rose to fame in the UK after appearing on an TV show that features three princes from different cultures coming to seaside town of Brighton in search of love.
The search of acceptance and understanding in his own country has been far from easy, it is a battle, the local authority claims that there is no gay behaviour at the central jail.
Says Gohil, “Why invite me to create awareness if homosexuality is not practised in jails? The officials can say what they want but sex is a basic need that needs to be fulfilled. It is impossible that men, who have been confined for long behind bars, have not formed such relationships.
“If an inmate contracts HIV/AIDS in jail, he is likely to pass it on to his wife or other sexual partners,” the prince told Mirror.
However, authorities assert that no homosexual activity has come to light in the jail. Jail Superintendent R J Parghi said, “No case of homosexuality has come to our notice. As far as we are concerned, it is not practised in Sabarmati jail. Anyway, sodomy is a crime under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. We will most certainly register a case against anyone found indulging in such acts.”
He added, “The reason that such activity cannot go on in the jail is because we do not confine just two inmates in one cell. Either the inmate stays solo or in groups of three or more. There are security men to keep an eye on them always.”
Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) PC Thakur said, “We are inviting the prince to speak to the inmates because he is internationally renowned for spreading HIV/AIDS awareness and has been running several successful campaigns. Homosexuality is a crime and the prince has been invited only to spread awareness on AIDS/HIV.”
It may be noted that the Gujarat State AIDS Control Society had distributed condoms to policemen and inmates released from jail as part of a national programme for AIDS prevention.
Refuting the claims made by jail authorities, Director (Programme and Policy) of India HIV/AIDS Alliance Sonal Mehta said, “Efforts are on to recognise homosexual activity in jails and ensure that measures for prevention are in place. This includes distributing condoms and implementing other measures of prevention.”
Sociologist Gaurang Jani said, “In 2001, we visited jails as part of AIDS and HIV awareness programmes. We believe that gay behaviour must be prevalent in jails.”
Gay prince to aid awareness in central jail, News - Latest - Ahmedabad Mirror,Ahmedabad Mirror
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