Addressing a news conference at BJP office at Chaudi-Canacona on Tuesday, a visibly distraught Tawadkar said, “I have full respect to what is deserved by LBGT community, someone is deliberately pitting me against this community. I had no intention to hurt the sentiments of any member of this community.”
“I merely spoke about drug addicts and sexually abused youth and their rehabilitations, about opening centres and counselling, medications, etc,” said Tawadkar.
“Though LGBT also has mention in the youth policy, I never took any of the words (either lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender) in my interaction with the reporter,” stated Tawadkar.
“I am being targeted for no reason. The section of the national media created this non-existing controversy just to sell their news by portraying me in poor light,” he said.
“Through your media I want to reiterate that I hold the LBGT community in high esteem and appeal to the media, especially national media, to refrain from pitting me unnecessarily against the LBGT community,” urged the minister.
“Besides Chief Minister Laximikant Parsekar, MLAs Dr Pramod Sawant and Rohan Khaunte were also present at the launch of Goa youth policy,” informed Tawadkar.
