Politicians play coy; avoid debate on gay sex

THEY SAY NO: Supporters of an Islamic student organisation protest against Delhi HC's order.

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has ruled that gay sex among consenting adults is no crime, but politicians won’t step away from being roadblocks.

"It is a very dangerous thing the Delhi High Court has said that it (homosexuality) is not a crime and the law must be amended. I will raise this topic in Parliament and the amendment (to the law) should not be done," said Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday.

"It should never be legalized in India," the former railway minister said. "Some people may like or consent to these things, but these things are not acceptable in our society and we don't like all these things and it is very bad. It can lead to wrongdoings in the world," he said. “All these are nonsense and bad things."

Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav indicated that he was willing to accept the court order but said homosexuality was not an issue in the country. Yadav said homosexuality was “age-old” in India but suspected the court order was a government ploy to divert attention from the real issues.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which criminalises gay sex terming it an "unnatural offence".

IANS reports the Government is treading cautiously on the matter. On Friday, three cabinet ministers - Home Minister P Chidambaram, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad - held a meeting to discuss the issue.

Moily later told reporters that they would submit a report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who would take a final decision on whether to amend the archaic law dealing with the issue.

Of the major political groupings, only the Communist Party of India-Marxist has welcomed the court order. The Congress and the BJP have reacted cautiously and have not said what stand will they take if the issue comes in Parliament.