India not ready to accept homosexuality
NEW DELHI, Friday (AFP) - India is not ready to accept gays, the
government has said, in response to a Supreme Court petition seeking to
amend a law banning homosexuality.
"Public opinion and the current societal context in India does not
favor the deletion of the said offence from the statute books," says the
affidavit posted on the web site of the Lawyer's Collective.
The collective filed the petition earlier this year on behalf of AIDS
prevention group Naz Foundation.
"Public morality ... must prevail over the exercise of any private
right," the affidavit said.
A Home Ministry official confirmed Thursday to AFP that the
government had filed an affidavit in reply to the petition, but declined
to discuss its contents.
Section 377 of the Indian penal code prohibits "carnal intercourse
against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal".
The group that brought the suit said the government's response was
inconsistent with its own efforts to stem the spread of AIDS.
"It's a bit bizarre. One the one hand the government is saying this
and on the other hand the National Aids Control Organization talks about
funding programs for men who have sex with men," said Anjali Gopalan,
executive director of Naz.
The government filed the affidavit on September 26 after the Supreme
Court asked it to respond to the April petition filed by the advocacy
group, which wants the law amended to create an exception for consenting
adults.
The organization, which went to the Supreme Court after the Delhi
High Court threw out the petition, says that the illegal status of
homosexuality in India is hampering its efforts with groups at risk of
infection.
"Police harass gay men and outreach workers, cops will have sex with
men or threaten them for money," added Gopalan.
But the Indian government said "no specific instance or reasons have
been given" of how the organization was hindered in its work.
In October, India's Planning Commission, which makes policy
recommendations to the Indian government, also said that the criminal
status of gays and sex workers was slowing AIDS prevention efforts and
should be changed. |