IPC 377 Murdabad
The BBC reports
The high court in the Indian capital Delhi has dismissed a legal petition that sought to legalise homosexuality.
Basically they are refusing to repeal an antiquated law from the late 19th century that criminalizes homosexuality, all on the basis of a technicality, it seems the “wrong group” petitioned. According to a Professor Rao
It’s about time the government woke up from its slumber and caught up with its reading. Far from being a western import, homosexuality was known and practised in ancient and medieval India unselfconsciously. The Kamasutra takes note of it. In their book Same Sex Love in India, Saleem Kidwai and Ruth Vanita inform us that Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva had a love affair, that led to the birth of Ayyappa.
It seems that Sanskrit has words that describe several kinds of sexualities not just homo and hetero, so it seems there is nothing “un-Indian” about alternate sexualities. So something that has been criminalized for only two hundred years or so takes on the mantle of tradition, while the VHP agitates to bring “Ram Rajya.” Its troubling that both Prof. Rao and myself feel compelled to invoke an ancient tradition to criticize a law that is clearly unjust, and should be repealed for that reason alone. How the terms of the debate have changed….
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Culture changes with time . No one can stop a culture from changing.It evolves and strengthens with time. Homosexuality is not against any culture. It is our short comings ,selfishness and hypocrisy because of which we dont look beyond our own needs and orientation. Science has proved that homosexuality is not a preference but an orientation. Homosexuality exists in animals too. Who decides what’s natural and unnatural? When what we do has been named as natural by us , we do not have any right to call what others do different as unnatural. Homosexuality is as old as the existance of man. No one can suppress the truth. It can only be delayed by resistance and non-acceptance. We need to look around and help others to be their true selves. In India most homosexuals live a dual life. They marry and have kids and live a life of lie till they die. We have such people in our family and our neighborhood. We should look beyond ourselves and help others lead a life of truth. Be a human in the true sense of the word.
July 19th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Nicely said, Dr. Naik.