FB community out to ‘help’ health minister

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When the Union minister of health and family welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad, labelled homosexuality as an ‘unnatural disease’, little did he realise that this statement would make him look like a patient in his own country. An angry LGBT community and supporters of homosexuality have decided to change his mindset in Munnabhai style. Elakshi Kumar, Shalini Krishan and Rituparna Borah, three youngsters from the capital have created a Facebook page called Get Well Soon!! to Hon’ble Union Health Minister Azad, which urges people to send him flowers and get well soon cards.

The page is an instant hit in the virtual world and has found many supporters. Rituparna Borah, who works for an NGO Nirantar, and is one of the co-creators of the page says that Azad’s opinion about homosexuality is baseless. Stressing that the health minister should take back his words, she adds, “I was very upset when I saw Azad calling homosexuality a disease on TV. I immediately posted ‘we should send him flowers and get well soon wishes, because he suffers from homophobia’ on my Facebook profile. Many of my friends supported this idea and we created an online page to seek support from others. This page urges people to send flowers, mails and messages to the minister, asking him to get well soon.”
She further adds, “We have written several messages and painted cards for Mr Azad and have couriered them to his office. We have also been calling and mailing him on his official id but so far there is no response. It’s our silent way to protest and express displeasure. He is a people’s representative and a person at his position can’t be prejudiced against a community accepted by law.”
The Facebook page calls Azad’s disease as ‘delusional disorder and paranoia’ for LGBTs and suggests that the cure for this disease is to send him ‘Get well soon’ cards.
Vijay Thakre, a supporter of LGBT says, “Earlier, I thought that Mr Azad was a liberal politician but after hearing his statement I am disappointed. I was shocked to know that his views are so narrow. You don’t expect a man of his calibre to pass such callous remarks on a sensitive topic such as this.”
The tongue-in-cheek sarcasm of sending ‘get well soon’ notes maybe a good idea for many, but people feel that a person at such high position should be ‘politically’ correct’ before making such comments.
Susmita Roy, a student, opines, “A Union health minister passing such remarks is not right. It negates the efforts of health workers, social activists, and people who have been trying to bring about a change in the mindset of people of our country. Our politicians should think twice before saying something so incorrect.”