What makes Manoj Bajpayee angry?

Actor Manoj Bajpayee says he stands by all those 'marginalised' by the proposed legislation

Manoj Bajpayee, who’s on the cover of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) magazine, Bombay Dost’s newest issue, minced no words as he spoke against the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill recently cleared by the Cabinet. The Bill does not allow homosexuals or live-in couples to have children through the assisted method of reproduction. (Read more)

Also read: Bollywood celebs stand divided on Surrogacy Bill

Manoj Bajpayee at the event on Saturday. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

“I take so much pride in saying I am come from a democracy. That is why when things like this Surrogacy Bill is brought in, I feel sad and angry. The sadness and anger is not just because one part of the population is once again being pushed out of the mainstream, so to speak. It is because such a Bill chips away at my pride of belonging to a democracy.”

Also read: Birth of a controversy: Debate on surrogacy engages nation

He added that he’s been told the new Bill, which aims to bans commercial surrogacy, is a good way to control population. “I retorted that population should have been controlled years ago,” said Bajpayee. The actor added to some laughs, “My dad had six children. Six! I often ask my dad, ‘Why?’ He was a lower middle class farmer. How could you afford to educate all of them?” Having said that, he added, “Why deprive people of the right and opportunity to feel great as human beings by bringing a new life into this world? I protest. I stand with all the people who are marginalised by the new Surrogacy Bill.”

Also read: 'Surrogacy bill seems like an attack on singles and LGBT people'

Reports quoted External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, saying that it was “unfortunate” that couples, who have children of their own, opt for surrogacy “just because it is fashionable”. That led to conjecture that the Minister was hinting at Bollywood celebs.

Also read: Did Sushma Swaraj taunt Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan for opting surrogacy for fashion?

Bajpayee was chosen for Bombay Dost cover, which was launched at the Press Club on Saturday, after he played Prof. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras in Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh based on a true story about the professor who taught Marathi at Aligarh Muslim University. He was sacked on charges of homosexuality.

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