The 14th Kolkata Pride Walk, the oldest pride walk in this country, will be held on 13th December. Like Bangalore and Delhi, Kolkata Pride too is moving beyond just demands to repeal Sec 377, instead demanding a larger environment of tolerance, love and equality in the society.
The organisers expressed their apprehensions on the growing attack on minority rights and increasing violence in the society . In a press release, they said, “While the LGBTQIA movement continues to make headlines and definitely moves towards becoming a more often discussed issue amongst the common people in the recent times, the nation overall, seems to have had taken a few steps back in terms of safety, personal liberty and minority rights. What with reported incidents of rapes, lynching, murders, public harassments causing major public outcry or some of the very recent public debates over reports of caste based violence, growing incidents of intolerance and violence it seems like the nation may just be geared towards a regressive step towards monitoring and controlling of personal spaces, morals and choices by the state.”
The Kolkata Pride Walk thus, “intends to make a political statement for Equality, Tolerance, Love and Solidarity.” It will also be a walk for inclusiveness and tolerance, and express its solidarity with other rights based struggles. “We want to walk in solidarity with all rights based movements, Child Rights, Womens rights, Dalit rights, Rights of the Disabled/differently-abled, students groups, and others,” the press release said.
The walk will start at 2 pm from Shyambazar 5-point crossing and end at Moulali Ramlila Maidan.