Any person found guilty of spreading or propagating hatred against people living with HIV/AIDS will face strict punishment of imprisonment up to two years and a maximum fine of Rs one lakh, according to a proposed legislation.
The new bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha today seeks to protect rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS and end discrimination against them through stringent penal measures.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014, was tabled in the Upper House amid din by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The bill provides for protection to those infected by HIV and AIDS from denial of employment and harassment of any kind, besides provision of medical treatment while ensuring confidentiality and privacy while providing HIV and AIDS related services.
The bill also provides protection to such persons from being subjected to an HIV test without their informed consent.
"It is also important that existing establishments, both private and public, recognise the need to safeguard the rights of people infected with HIV/AIDS, particularly, women and children," the bill's statement of aims and objectives states.
It also aims to prohibit certain specific acts of HIV- related discrimination, provide for informed consent for undertaking HIV test or treatment and also for disclosure of HIV status to ensure confidentiality and privacy.
It also provides for obligation of establishments to provide for safe working environment, safeguard the rights of people infected with HIV/AIDS, particularly women and children, and establish formal mechanisms for redressing grievances and inquiring into complaints.
The Bill seeks to put in place an obmudsman to deal with such complaints both at the state and central level.
India is estimated to have 2.39 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), the third highest after South Africa and Nigeria.
