RSS backs Supreme Court order on gay sex // Vikram Seth slams Supreme Court order on Section 377
RSS has supported the Supreme Court order last week recriminalizing consensual sex among gay adults, endorsing the stand taken by BJP chief Rajnath Singh. "We support the verdict of the Supreme Court and oppose any move to abrogate Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. We agree with the view of BJP president Rajnath Singh," RSS spokesman Ram Madhav said, virtually shutting down the possibility of any rethink on the part of the BJP on the issue. Ram Madhav rejected the argument that the SC order marked an assault on the fundamental rights of the gay community. "There is no violation of fundamental rights. Nor do we consider gay sex to be natural sex," the spokesperson further said. He said it was for political parties to debate and decide whether gay sex should be de-criminalized. "Making laws and changing them is the prerogative of Parliament. But so far as we are concerned, our position is very clear. We support the SC," Ram Madav said in what will nudge the government to file a review petition in the SC against the verdict.
Government had initially kept open the option of taking the legislative route to nullify the SC order which has been seen as a setback for the gay community's campaign for equality before law. But BJP's opposition makes the option tougher. While the government can still promulgate an ordinance to negate the SC order after Parliament adjourns on December 20, organizing support for the legislation which will have to be brought in Parliament in the winter session may prove to be a difficult job.
While BJP and SP have openly opposed any move to decriminalize Section 377, there are others who hold the same viewpoint and don't seem enthusiastic about the moves government is considering. With parties likely to be more risk-averse in the build-up to Lok Sabha polls, government may prefer to file a review petition before the SC.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-backs-Supreme-Court-order-on-gay-sex/articleshow/27491871.cms
Vikram Seth slams Supreme Court order on Section 377 at Rashtrapati Bhavan
The debate over Section 377 (unnatural sex) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) continues to dominate discussions in public forums. Author Vikram Seth, who has been vocal about his views since the Supreme Courtverdict recriminalized gay sex last week, on Saturday used the platform of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to slam Section 377.
In the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee on the dais and senior leaders from both Congress and BJP, Seth said that intolerance was a kind of violence with acquiescence of the society and that young should learn to be their own self and choose their love according to what their heart says and not what the society or a law says. Seth was speaking at a function organized at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by a TV channel that awarded 25 "living legends". After addressing the audience in his quintessential wit and humour, Seth referred to social worker and Seva founder Ela Bhatt, who had minutes ago said "poverty is violence with acquiescence of the society" while receiving an award herself.
Seth said, "I would say in a perfectly parallel mode that intolerance is violence. And accepted intolerance is violence with the acquiescence of the society. Basically, there is no point wrapping yourself up in a flag when you don't realize that the flag has more than one component. There are different colours in it, they mean different things and in the heart of it is the wheel ... the wheel of justice, the recycle of life, the wheel of law. We cannot have intolerance within the family... and we certainly cannot have intolerance in the country as a whole."
Though Seth did not mention Section 377, his reference was hardly lost on anyone when, in a message to the youth, he said: "You may as well be yourself because really there is no one else you can be. We are here for such a ridiculously short time in this ridiculously trivial corner of the universe that if we aren't ourselves, what's the point of doing anything at all? So I would say in all matters, whether it's your profession, whether it's your beliefs or the person you love, you must go at heart with who you are. Not what someone else tells you, not what your clan tells you, not even what an unjust law tells you."
The utterances were significant in the backdrop of BJP openly supporting the SC ruling on Section 377 and given that senior party leader LK Advani was present at the function. In the run up to 2014 polls, Congress has put its weight behind repeal of the Section with both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi criticizing the SC order and asking for all parties to support its repeal.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Vikram-Seth-slams-Supreme-Court-order-on-Section-377-at-Rashtrapati-Bhavan/articleshow/27493797.cms
Government had initially kept open the option of taking the legislative route to nullify the SC order which has been seen as a setback for the gay community's campaign for equality before law. But BJP's opposition makes the option tougher. While the government can still promulgate an ordinance to negate the SC order after Parliament adjourns on December 20, organizing support for the legislation which will have to be brought in Parliament in the winter session may prove to be a difficult job.
While BJP and SP have openly opposed any move to decriminalize Section 377, there are others who hold the same viewpoint and don't seem enthusiastic about the moves government is considering. With parties likely to be more risk-averse in the build-up to Lok Sabha polls, government may prefer to file a review petition before the SC.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-backs-Supreme-Court-order-on-gay-sex/articleshow/27491871.cms
Vikram Seth slams Supreme Court order on Section 377 at Rashtrapati Bhavan
The debate over Section 377 (unnatural sex) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) continues to dominate discussions in public forums. Author Vikram Seth, who has been vocal about his views since the Supreme Courtverdict recriminalized gay sex last week, on Saturday used the platform of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to slam Section 377.
In the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee on the dais and senior leaders from both Congress and BJP, Seth said that intolerance was a kind of violence with acquiescence of the society and that young should learn to be their own self and choose their love according to what their heart says and not what the society or a law says. Seth was speaking at a function organized at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by a TV channel that awarded 25 "living legends". After addressing the audience in his quintessential wit and humour, Seth referred to social worker and Seva founder Ela Bhatt, who had minutes ago said "poverty is violence with acquiescence of the society" while receiving an award herself.
Seth said, "I would say in a perfectly parallel mode that intolerance is violence. And accepted intolerance is violence with the acquiescence of the society. Basically, there is no point wrapping yourself up in a flag when you don't realize that the flag has more than one component. There are different colours in it, they mean different things and in the heart of it is the wheel ... the wheel of justice, the recycle of life, the wheel of law. We cannot have intolerance within the family... and we certainly cannot have intolerance in the country as a whole."
Though Seth did not mention Section 377, his reference was hardly lost on anyone when, in a message to the youth, he said: "You may as well be yourself because really there is no one else you can be. We are here for such a ridiculously short time in this ridiculously trivial corner of the universe that if we aren't ourselves, what's the point of doing anything at all? So I would say in all matters, whether it's your profession, whether it's your beliefs or the person you love, you must go at heart with who you are. Not what someone else tells you, not what your clan tells you, not even what an unjust law tells you."
The utterances were significant in the backdrop of BJP openly supporting the SC ruling on Section 377 and given that senior party leader LK Advani was present at the function. In the run up to 2014 polls, Congress has put its weight behind repeal of the Section with both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi criticizing the SC order and asking for all parties to support its repeal.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Vikram-Seth-slams-Supreme-Court-order-on-Section-377-at-Rashtrapati-Bhavan/articleshow/27493797.cms
