Dr. Mario Da Penha: The First LGBTQIA+ Vertical Head Of AIPC (image-Instagram/mleccha)
The All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC) has announced its newly formed LGBTQIA+ vertical, the only representative framework for queer people within any recognised national political party in India. Queer historian and LGBTQIA+ activist Dr. Mario Da Penha has been appointed as the head of the vertical domain.
Da Penha has been an LGTBQ activist for over 20 years and was a co-petitioner in the Section 377 and Marriage Equality cases. Beginning his queer activism in his student days through a collective called Anjuman in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Da Penha, who openly identifies as a gay man, advocates for justice for all those marginalised because of their gender and sexuality.
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Expressing his gratitude to Congress and Praveen Chakravarty, the chairperson of the All India Professionals’ Congress, he stated, “I’ve been appointed the All-India Head of AIPC’s newly created LGBTQIA+ Vertical, the only representative framework for queer people within any recognized national political party in India. Thanks to Chairman @pravchak and to @INCIndia — the party of inclusion & progress!”
I’ve been appointed the All-India Head of @ProfCong‘s newly created #LGBTQIA+ Vertical, the only representative framework for queer people within any recognized national political party in India.
Thanks to Chairman @pravchak and to @INCIndia — the party of inclusion & progress! https://t.co/2qIbv8FiVD
— Mario da Penha 🇮🇳🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@mleccha) September 4, 2024
Congratulating the Da Penha on the achievement, NCP spokesperson Anish Gawande described it as a “major moment for queer inclusion in Indian politics.” He congratulated the AIPC team for “walking the talk on inclusion.”
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During the general elections held earlier this year, the grand old party had proposed in its ‘Nyay-Patra’ manifesto to bring a law to recognise civil unions between the LGBTQIA+ community.
