Inquiry against psychiatrist for saying homosexuality is a disease

[Midnightsun]

The five-member inquiry committee follows a complaint by Dr Prasad Dandekar, a Mumbai-based radiation oncologist and co-founder of Mumbai Seenagers, an organisation that helps members of the LGBTQ+ community that are above 55 years old to socialise in a safe environmen (HT File)

Updated on Feb 22, 2022 10:57 PM IST

 

BySomita Pal

MUMBAI The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS), an umbrella body of nearly 8000 psychiatrists in the country, has initiated an inquiry into the assertions made by one of its members Dr Deepak Kelkar on his YouTube channel that homosexuality is a disease and that it can be cured by medicines and conversion therapy. Kelkar, a psychiatrist from Akola in Maharashtra, has 1.17 million followers on YouTube.

The five-member inquiry committee follows a complaint by Dr Prasad Dandekar, a Mumbai-based radiation oncologist and co-founder of Mumbai Seenagers, an organisation that helps members of the LGBTQ+ community that are above 55 years old to socialise in a safe environment. In his email, Dandekar wrote: “While effort is done by the LGBT task force of IPS to sensitise medical professionals and the general population about the LGBTQ+ community, a Life Fellow of IPS is actively in gross violation of the IPS’ stand on homosexuality. This is jeopardising the credibility of IPS statement and is spreading illegal, non-scientific information for financial gains.” Noted LGBTQ+ rights activist Ashok Row Kavi is a co-founder of Mumbai Seenagers.

The email adds, “The Madras High Court in June 2021 has banned the practice of conversion therapy in India... the National Medical Commission (NMC) also has slammed conversion therapy as pseudoscience and confirmed that (anyone practising it) is liable for professional misconduct.”

[Midnightsun]

I know what he is suggesting is hypnosis which can work on some people atleast