Nepal’s LGBTI forerunners face sexual abuse charges

KATHMANDU: Nepal has been heaven for homosexuals from Asia and other countries. And at the center of this hype remained the Blue Diamond Society and its chairman Sunil Babu Pant. Pant, a former lawmaker, and a declared homosexuals after gaining substantial glory for advocating the rights of LGBTI community, recently landed in a sexual controversy.

He and his officials have been accused of sexually harassing other homosexuals at his office when they visit it for counselling. Pant has been accused of sexually harassing a government engineer homosexual, while he was there for counselling, a report by the tabloid Saurya Dainik claimed.

Quoting an anonymous source at the Blue Diamond Society, the report said that Pant had called the engineer to his own cabin after finding him attractive and without any discussion opened his zipper and performed oral sex.

However, the homosexual engineer had ran away from there said the source. The incident has brought similar harassments within the society. The society’s councillors were reported to be more focused on sexual engagements with the council seekers rather than counselling.

Poonam Rokkha, a 27 year old female from Kathjor-5, Ramechhap claimed that she was fired from the society after she protested the sexual harassment of a colleague, Bhakti Shah.

Though she had tried to approach her superiors, including Pant, she was reprimanded and asked not to sensitise sexual issues. And on top of that she was than fired from the job.

After failing to jet justice from the society’s superiors, Bhakti has sued the society at the Kathmandu district court.

On the other hand Pant has denied sexually assaulting any engineers and claimed that the accusations were a ploy to stain his personal and society’s image.