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The Mizoram government cancelled the bidding process for the construction of a shelter for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community after the influential Young Mizo Association (YMA) protested against it.
The notice issued Tuesday by the state's Department of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation (UD&PA) said the tender had been cancelled. “The notice of tender for the construction of an LGBTQI shelter at Sakawrtuichhun in Aizawl with funds received from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs as a 2019-20 Second Rank SPARK Incentive Award among the states of the United Kingdom is hereby cancelled. NE and the Himalayas,” the notice said.
The notice of tender for the construction of the shelter house for the LGBTQI community in Sakawrtuichhun, on the western outskirts of the state capital, was issued on December 6.
Some political parties have opposed the proposed LGBTQI shelter, including the People's Conference (PC) party and the Mizo Youth Association (YMA), the largest and most influential civil society organization in the state.
The leaders of the central committee of YMA or Central YMA (CYMA) on Monday called Zoramthanga on the issue and urged him not to proceed with the project.
In July 2021, the CNDH had asked all states to comply with their mandate to build shelters for the LGBTQI community, he added.
The project was approved by the state government in May under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NLUM) and was supposed to cost Rs 40 lakhs. The Popular Conference (PC) party also opposed the project.
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