The Darul Uloom Deoband on Thursday slammed the Supreme Court's decision to unanimously decriminalised part of the 158-year-old colonial law under Section 377 of the IPC which criminalises consensual unnatural sex.
"According to Shariat, homosexuality is haram and illegitimate. This decision is against natural behaviour and anyone with their right mind will not accept this decision because Islam forbids homosexuality." (sic)," said Deoband's Ulema Mufti Maulana Asad Quasmi.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra termed the part of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which crimiminalises unnatural sex as irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary.
The bench, which also comprised Justices RF Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra, struck down Section 377 as being violative of right to equality.
The top court, in four separate but concurring judgements, set aside its own verdict in the Suresh Kaushal case.
Section 377 refers to 'unnatural offences' and says whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to pay a fine.
The apex court, however, said other aspects of Section 377 of IPC dealing with unnatural sex with animals and children shall remain in force.
The historic judgement came on a batch of writ petitions filed by dancer Navtej Jauhar, journalist Sunil Mehra, chef Ritu Dalmia, hoteliers Aman Nath and Keshav Suri and business executive Ayesha Kapur and 20 former and current students of the IITs.
