New Delhi: Parliament today passed a Bill that would make anyone discriminating against HIV or AIDS patients get a jail term of three months to two years. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017 was passed by the Lok Sabha with members from major political parties supporting it.
Replying to the debate on the Bill, Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda said it's an "historic" day that the draft legislation was being passed as it would complete country's a long and tedious journey in curbing the killer AIDS disease since it first came to light in 1980s. "Earlier also, discriminating against AIDS patients was not allowed. But it was only in the form of a guidance. Now it is a law," he said. The Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill on March 21. (UNI)