Anuradha Paudwal Says LGBTQIA+ Rights Have Hurt Marriage’s ‘Sanctity’; Netizens Disagree
Anuradha Paudwal Says LGBTQIA+ Rights Have Hurt Marriage’s ‘Sanctity’; Netizens Disagree Published By, Last Updated: July 18, 2026, 18:39 IST Anuradha Paudwal faces backlash after
Anuradha Paudwal Says LGBTQIA+ Rights Have Hurt Marriage’s ‘Sanctity’; Netizens Disagree Published By, Last Updated: July 18, 2026, 18:39 IST Anuradha Paudwal faces backlash after linking LGBTQIA+ rights to marriage losing its sanctity and questioning the community’s contribution to society. Rapid Read Anuradha Paudwal faces backlash over her remarks on LGBTQIA+ rights. Veteran playback singer Anuradha Paudwal has drawn sharp criticism online after linking the weakening of marriage as an institution to rights granted to the LGBTQIA+ community. Her comments, made during an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, triggered an immediate debate on social media, with several users accusing her of making sweeping and ill-informed claims. Paudwal also questioned how members of the community contribute to society, a remark that many viewers found dismissive and discriminatory. Anuradha Paudwal Questions LGBTQIA+ Rights Speaking during the interview, Paudwal said, “The sanctity isn’t left in marriage. The reason is the rights given to the LGBTQIA+ community. How are they contributing to society? I would like to know. In what way are they contributing?" She went on to suggest that heterosexual marriage and starting a family represented the “right" model.
“It is fine until a girl and a boy get married and start a family; they are doing it the right way," she said. The singer also referred to examples she claimed to have encountered while discussing changing family structures. “I keep seeing different things every few days. How is it contributing to the welfare of society? Maybe I have missed a point, but how are they contributing to society?" she added. Her remarks soon travelled across social media platforms, where users challenged both the premise of her argument and the suggestion that the value of a community should be judged by a narrowly defined idea of social contribution. Social Media Users Push Back One user argued that it was unfair to question the community’s contribution when LGBTQIA+ people have historically faced barriers in education, employment, housing and public life. “How can we measure someone’s contribution when society has not always given them an equal chance to contribute in the first place?" the comment read. Another user pointed to marriage equality and adoption, writing that many LGBTQIA+ couples seek legal recognition and are willing to adopt children abandoned by heterosexual parents.
The comment ended with a call to stop platforming uninformed opinions. A third person expressed personal disappointment, saying they had admired Paudwal since childhood but found her statement deeply upsetting. The user urged the singer to research the subject and better understand the community. Singer Yet To Address The Criticism Paudwal has not issued a clarification or response to the backlash so far. The controversy has once again brought attention to how public figures discuss sexuality, family and equal rights, particularly when their comments reduce a diverse community to stereotypes or question its place in society. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered Will Anuradha Paudwal issue an apology for her comments? Anuradha Paudwal has not issued a clarification or response to the criticism she has received for linking LGBTQIA+ rights to the weakening of marriage. She faced backlash online after making these comments during an interview. How do LGBTQIA+ rights impact traditional marriage views?
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