Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
LGBTI activists and allies in India today launched a petition seeking the repeal of Section 377, the country’s colonial-era law which provides for as much as a life sentence for anyone convicted of voluntary “carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal.”
The petition is directed to Narendra Modi, prime minister of India; Rajnath Singh, Union home minister; and Sadananda Gowda, minister of law and justice.
On [Dec. 11, 2015], which marks the second anniversary of the Suresh Kumar Koushal judgement of the Supreme Court of India, which effectively recriminalised LGBT persons, the union government needs to be reminded of its constitutional responsibility to decriminalise the lives of millions of LGBT citizens.
The lives of LGBT citizens are not a political football to be tossed from the judiciary to parliament and from parliament to the judiciary. It is time the government owned its responsibility!
In this connection, the petition … argues that constitutional morality enjoins that the government takes action to repeal s.377. …
Please circulate widely and get as many signatures as we can of groups and individuals from diverse backgrounds including persons from the fields of law, politics, activism, academia, artists and others.
Sukhdeep Singh, editor-in-chief of Gaylaxy magazine. (Photo by Tara Chattopadhyay courtesy of SherVancouver.wordpress.com)
We would like to bring to your attention a matter of the utmost urgency concerning the right to live with dignity of millions of citizens of India, namely those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT). …
“It is the responsibility of parliament to ensure that the rights of all sections of the Indian people including LGBT Indians are protected,” the petition urges …
“When it comes to a question of the right to dignity of a significant section of the Indian population, surely it is incumbent upon the Union of India to discharge their constitutional responsibility and introduce a bill to repeal Section 377,” the petition reads. Imploring PM Modi to act, the petition says: “It is your responsibility as the Prime Minister to lessen popular prejudice, allow for free expression of ideas and repeal criminal laws which hamper and impede the right to free expression of millions of LGBT Indians.”
The petition ends with the following demands:
Introduce a bill in parliament to repeal Section 377
Amend Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code so that protection from rape is extended to all persons regardless of gender or sexuality in line with the Justice Verma Committee recommendations. [The Verma Committee was an advisory panel that recommended widespread reform of Indian rape laws after a gang rape and murder in 2012.]
Within less than a day of being posted online, the petition had more than 400 signatures and 140 comments, including “Please give my dignity back!” and “Repeal section 377. I want my children to be proud and open about who they are.”
So sad to hear that. Sometimes it takes just the right confluence of events to move a movement forward, let’s hope that happens soon for the LGBTQ communities in India.
The petition you mention is sadly not taking off at all, despite efforts to share it widely… “Only” 949 signatures as I write this comment… Considering the sheer size of India, it is truly a shame and a clear indication that people do not care. Quite sad.
Reblogged this on Fairy JerBear's Queer/Trans News, Views & More From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM and commented:
Petition to repeal India’s anti-gay law is launched.
Launched and not taking off at all… sadly.
So sad to hear that. Sometimes it takes just the right confluence of events to move a movement forward, let’s hope that happens soon for the LGBTQ communities in India.
The petition you mention is sadly not taking off at all, despite efforts to share it widely… “Only” 949 signatures as I write this comment… Considering the sheer size of India, it is truly a shame and a clear indication that people do not care. Quite sad.