Govt express disappointment over SC order on Section 377

A day after Supreme Court set aside the 2009 Delhi High Court order on decriminalised homosexuality in India and said gay sex is a criminal offence and punishable up to life imprisonment, people in general found it ‘regressive’ and ‘disappointing’. Not only LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community expressed their shocks and anguish over the verdict, but heterosexual community also comes out against Supreme Court’s shocking sentence.

Echoing the popular sentiment, government today comes out against the Supreme Court verdict on Section 377 and criminalised gay sex. The government is set to file a review petition or curative petition with the Supreme Court on its latest verdict on Section 377.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said she is disappointed with the Supreme Court order and said Congress will take up the issue in the parliament.

“I am disappointed that the Supreme Court has reversed a previous Delhi High Court ruling on the issue of gay rights. The High Court had wisely removed an archaic, repressive and unjust law that infringed on the basic human rights enshrined in our Constitution. This Constitution has given us a great legacy, a legacy of liberalism and openness that enjoin us to combat prejudice and discrimination of any kind. We are proud that our culture has always been an inclusive and tolerant one,” Sonia Gandhi said in a statement.

“I hope that Parliament will address this issue and uphold the constitutional guarantee of life and liberty to all citizens of India, including those directly affected by this judgment,” she added.

and Law and Justice Minister Kapil Sibal have come out against the Supreme Court order.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram said Supreme Court verdict is regressive and take us back to 1860.

“It’s gone back to 1860. I don’t want to take names but those politicians opposing it, it’s unfortunate. The government must go for review petition or curative petition,” said Chidambaram.

Law and Justice Minister Kapil Sibal said government is considering review petition.

“The Govt is considering all options to restore the High Court verdict on #377. We must decriminalise adult consensual relationships,” Sibal tweeted.

In his first reaction on the verdict renowned author Vikram Seth said, “I wasn’t a criminal till yesterday. But I’m certainly a criminal today and I do not propose to take the permission for who to love or who to make love with.”

“Today is a great day for prejudice and inhumanity and a bad day for law and love. But law develops and love is resilient. So prejudice and inhumanity will be beaten back. Law and love will prevail,” he added.

• About the Author

About Sprightly Spirit

“I dare do all that may become a man. Who dares more is none”. And all, may be. It may be the vigor. Or the spirit. Or the courage to avoid being “politically correct” or bent. And, ban all averse with immaculate overture of graciously fathomable words firm in views. Subtle. Justifying the undying conscience. Values. Knowledge. And, dares to stay true. True to own. True to the world. And, to the words. With a dream in eyes it exists. In you. In me. In all. The sprite that never shies away. The spirit that never dies!