Indian royal family disinherits gay scion
{{date|July 9, 2006}}

{{w|Manvendra Singh Gohil|Manvendra Singh Gohil}}, the 40-year-old son of the erstwhile Maharajah of Rajpipla ({{w|India}}), was disowned by his formerly royal family for {{wikt|come out of the closet|coming out}} as a gay man. 

{{w|Homosexuality}} was effectively criminalized in India in 1861 under British colonial rule.  The sodomy laws, which remain in force today, mandate penalties of up to 10 years in prison.

The Gohil family once ruled India's {{w|Rajpipla}} principality. Although India abolished royalty when it gained independence from {{w|UK|Britain}} in 1947, the Gohil clan is considered to be one of the wealthiest families in the south Asian nation.

Gohil's mother put public notices in {{w|Gujarati}} language newspapers disavowing being his mother. "If any individual or organisation dares to (name me as his mother), it will invite contempt proceedings," the statement said.

He said as an AIDS activist, he felt it was his duty to come out. Gohil claimed that India anti-gay laws hinder AIDS prevention among gay men since many are afraid to admit they are homosexual for fear of being jailed or blackmailed.

Gohil, who runs a non-profit {{w|AIDS}} foundation, told reporters he wasn't interested in his family's money. "I will not stake my claim to the property. I have found a family in the (gay) community and am happy working for the community," he said in a Reuters interview.

{{w|UNAIDS}} estimated that 5.7 million Indians have been infected by the {{w|HIV}} virus. Gay organisations in India are currently trying to have the section of the Indian Penal Code that makes homosexuality a punishable offence nullified. Gay relationships are considered taboo in India's mostly conservative society. A number of Indian organisations, including two HIV/AIDS prevention groups, have complained of being subjected to police raids and arrests in recent years. 

{{haveyoursay}}
==Sources==
* Krittivas Mukherjee, ''[http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2006-07-07T105402Z_01_SP148141_RTRIDST_0_OUKOE-UK-INDIA-PRINCE.XML Indian gay prince out of closet, loses inheritance]'', [[Reuters]], July 7, 2005.
* Peter Foster, ''[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/28/wprince28.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/06/28/ixnews.html Gay prince is cut off from fortune 'for dishonouring his family']'', Telegraph, June 28, 2006.
*''[http://story.malaysiasun.com/p.x/ct/9/cid/b8de8e630faf3631/id/28082662bf97c43f/ Maharajah disinherits gay son]'', Big News Network, July 7, 2006.
*{{source|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/11/india12398.htm|title=India: Repeal Colonial-Era Sodomy Law|author=|pub=Human Rights Watch|date=July 9, 2006}} 

[[Category:Asia]][[Category:India]][[Category:LGBT]]
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Manvendra Singh Gohil, the 40-year-old son of the erstwhile Maharajah of Rajpipla (come out of the closet|coming out as a gay man. 

 was effectively criminalized in India in 1861 under British colonial rule.  The sodomy laws, which remain in force today, mandate penalties of up to 10 years in prison.

The Gohil family once ruled India's UK|Britain in 1947, the Gohil clan is considered to be one of the wealthiest families in the south Asian nation.

Gohil's mother put public notices in  language newspapers disavowing being his mother. "If any individual or organisation dares to (name me as his mother), it will invite contempt proceedings," the statement said.

He said as an AIDS activist, he felt it was his duty to come out. Gohil claimed that India anti-gay laws hinder AIDS prevention among gay men since many are afraid to admit they are homosexual for fear of being jailed or blackmailed.

Gohil, who runs a non-profit  foundation, told reporters he wasn't interested in his family's money. "I will not stake my claim to the property. I have found a family in the (gay) community and am happy working for the community," he said in a Reuters interview.

HIV virus. Gay organisations in India are currently trying to have the section of the Indian Penal Code that makes homosexuality a punishable offence nullified. Gay relationships are considered taboo in India's mostly conservative society. A number of Indian organisations, including two HIV/AIDS prevention groups, have complained of being subjected to police raids and arrests in recent years.
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