From people’s bedrooms to wombs, government wants to peep everywhere

Usually a soft-spoken man, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of Rajpipla, is quite angry. What’s more! He refuses to contain his anger and prefers to speak about it. In a candid conversation, Manav, as he is popularly known, makes it clear that the Surrogacy Regulation Bill, cleared by Union Cabinet recently, “is most unfair” as it bars homosexuals, people in live-in relationships and makes only childless, straight Indian couples married for a minimum of five years eligible for surrogacy.
What was your first reaction when you heard that cabinet has green lighted the bill and it will be tabled in the Parliament soon?
My first thought was that it is absolutely unfair, lopsided and aims to further marginalise our community. First they tell us who to love, what to eat and what to see, next they will tell us how to breathe. From people’s bedrooms to wombs, government wants to peep everywhere. God knows what is next on their agenda!
External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has defended making homosexuals ineligible for surrogacy as homosexual couples are not recognised by law in India, in the first place?
It is the most pathetic and depressing thing to say. Like everyone else, we homosexuals are also humans and we also have a right to live. The society is against us, law is not in our favour and now we have no right to natural maternal or paternal instincts too because the government says so. Now why would people want to stay in India? I feel, such a negative stance of the government will lead to many homosexuals leaving India and staying away forever.
But looking at the larger picture, Instead of commercial surrogacy, childless couples can now turn to their relatives. Won’t that help stop the exploitation of those poor women who had to lend their wombs for money?
Firstly, what has the government done to ensure that women in our country have jobs or economic security so that they don’t have to resort to prostitution? Has the government stopped marital abuse, dowry harassment and rapes against the women? So, if a woman is earning `30,000 or 40,000 by willingly bearing a child for a childless couple, why does the government have a problem? Second and most important thing, tell me how many relatives would do such a selfless thing even for straight couples? Vested interests would certainly come into play there. Just wait and watch!