Pride Parade in Amritsar Cancelled

The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Queer (LGBTQ) community had planned to hold ‘Pride Parade 2025’ at the Rose Garden locality in Amritsar on 27 Apr. Ridham Chadha, organizer, said, 'We started organiszng such parades in 2019. This is the fourth parade. One parade has already been organized at Chandigarh. We planned to organize it in Panjab and we chose Amritsar to hold it.' He added, nearly 1,000 community members had confirmed participation. As the video clip of the parade went viral over social media, it drew harsh reaction from some Sikhs who raised objections. A local leader, Paramjit Singh Akali said, 'Amritsar city is a sacred city founded by Guru Sahib, where the holiest Sikh shrine Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) is situated. This kind of activity cannot be tolerated.' Given the stiff opposition, the organizers cancelled the parade. However, some have explained Pride in Panjab and Sikh context. In 2020, the US-based Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) published their State of the Panth (Sikh Collective), Report 6, Sikhi & Sexuality which clearly states: ‘As for sexuality in regards to orientation or preference, Bani (scriptures) and Rahit (lifestyle) are mostly silent. There is no citation within Bani to condemn certain sexual orientations or preferences.’ Harinder Singh, co-author of the report, mentions the same understanding in his recent interview. Sarbat Sikhs, an international group, expressed solidarity. On the objection that gay sex is unnatural, US-based Professor Aditya Behl asks is being rich or poor natural or unnatural? Or being upper and lower caste natural or unnatural? He emphasizes the need to historicize the Pride Parade and mentions the Stonewall riots in 1969. He further says,’The bourgeoisie class always dictates how a protest must be conducted. Workers must protest in a particular way which won’t remain a strike; without makeup, what will be left in the Pride Parade?’ Journalist Aarish Chhabra says, ‘Touch is instinct, not intent.’ He adds, Panjab claims Canada’s New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh. Jagmeet supports the LGBTQ community. Would Panjab disown him?