Internationally acclaimed activist Harish Iyer who has advocated passionately for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, Child Sexual Abuse survivors, rape survivors and animals, has now taken the plunge into politics. On Tuesday, April 9, Harish Iyer joined the Indian National Congress.
“I have officially joined the @INCIndia and look forward to working with the Mumbai Congress team in weeding out homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia and the politics of hate,”
he tweeted.
Explaining what made him take the plunge Iyer said, “Sometimes we cannot afford sitting on the fence. Sometimes, you need to take a plunge into things with people who are working against equality and stand against the very fabric of secularism that our nation is blessed with.” He further explained, “I know politics is seen as a dirty game. I know there are enough people who give it a bad name. But Queer people need to get into politics. Because otherwise we will always have (seemingly) straight and cis gendered men taking all our life decisions.”
Iyer wants to make gender a key component of all policy decisions and dreams of creating an All India Queer Congress. He said, “I encourage more people from the LGBT community to join politics. Come out and be the change. And I hope that one day, just as we have the All India Mahila Congress we will have the All India Queer Congress.”
Explaining why he did not take the plunge with AAP as most people had expected given his closeness to Preeti Sharma Menon, Iyer says, “You know, it was actually the encouragement and support from Preeti Sharma Menon, that originally propelled me into the world of politics. But I guess we all have our own journeys. I have a special place for AAP in my heart and wish them well, but it is the Congress that has given me the platform I need and the tools to further my goals. I have met with and seen first hand the commitment of Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor and Priya Dutt towards empowering the LGBTQIA+ community and we have the same vision for Queer rights.”
