Newsy Take

By Abhishek Pandey

Gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexuals are cheering over the Delhi High court decision to decriminalise homosexual relations. Delhi high court judge AP Shah and S Murlidhar have decriminialsied consensual homosexuals acts between two adults in private place in their 105 pages verdict in Na Foundation Vs. Union of India case. This verdict not only ensure the equality before the law on the ground of ‘what we are’ but also keep the privacy of an individual. Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender (LGBT)

Gays, lesbians and relations with transgender are not acceptable in the Indian society. But, no one can be punished from today for having sex with same gender. Vikram Seth has rightly pointed out that this verdict would made them feel that they were not unarrested criminals.

Delhi High court has given a historic judgment. According to this decision, consensual homosexual relations between two adult men or two adult women or with transgender in private place are not illegal. Earlier, these relations were categorized as unnatural offences and person indulging in it could be booked under section 377 of Indian Penal code. The punishment for the offence is 10 years rigorous imprisonment. Police men can not humiliate or harrass the men or women with different sexual orientation. This is the apparent truth that in many cases peole have been tortured by cops and police men have made their pocket money out of these persons’ sexual prefrence.

It has started a fresh debate over homosexual relations in the country. All the religious institutions and right wing parties have came forward to oppose the scrapping of Section 377 of Indian penal code for homosexuals. Section 377 of Indian penal code prohibits any citizen of India indulging in ‘unnatural sex’, whether it is with children, men, women or animals. The person booked under this act could be punished for 10 years of imprisonment.

Many religious gurus, Maulavi and Bishops opined that it is unnatural and against the will of the mighty God. It is against religion and society. Few members of this lot think that the court decision would increase adultery and other family problems.

Yog Guru Ramdev said in a television debate that it is against Indian ethos and Indian culture. It is unnatural and shameful act. He added that gays and lesbians are mentally retarded people and they need treatment not encouragement. In the similar fashion Darul Uloom has said that it is a kind of disease and averse to all the religions in India. Siromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Samiti (SGPC) have also voiced against gay, lesbians and bisexuals.

National Aids Control Organisation have mentioned that crinalisation of homosexuals act have hampered their efforts to eradicate the desease from the country. Homosexuals don’t come forward for medical care because of legal barriers. Religious leaders forget about the society while raising their voice for pseudo ‘moral values’.

Bollywood have also made many films on homosexual relations. Fire was the first movie to showcase the lesbain relations. Girlfriend, My broher Nilhil, Page3 and Dostana followed the trend by higlighting the grim reality of homosexual relations in our society.

It is the reality that homosexuakls exist in our society. It is silly that we keep our eyes closed from the realityand it is more irresposnsibel on the part of a civilised society that we prohibit any person to live their life with his/her own prefrences in life. Those are opposing have forgotten that if it would remain illegal then there would be more problems. For example, If person is forced to live with opposite gender then family related problems would increase. There would be mess in the family and the life of two individual will be at risk. On the oher hand, there would be no problem in homosexual relation of consensual adults. It is the reality and we must accept it.

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