Protests against Supreme Court verdict banning gay sex

Protesting the Supreme Court verdict upholding a law criminalising gay sex, members and supporters of the LGBT community today came out on the streets demanding that it be scrapped.

Chanting slogans like "kaunsa kanoon sabse battar, teen sau sattatar" (the worst law ever, Section 377), scores of agitators from all walks of life gathered at Jantar Mantar, while similar protests were held in 16 cities across the country and 17 cities across the world to mark 'Global Day of Rage' against the apex court's judgement.

Accompanied by elders, parents and teenagers, the members of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, who wore black bands and held placards, voiced their concerns, terming the judgement as "outrageous" and "insensitive". "We are absolutely disheartened and angry over the SC judgement on Section 377 that criminalises the lives of queer persons, reversing the extraordinary move of the Delhi HC to bring together sexuality and rights," said Monish Malhotra, one of the persons spearheading the movement.

Aditya Bandopadhyay, a lawyer said, "the SC judgment has deprived us of our rights as a citizen. "377 is not only about a sexual act. It is about the relationship of our sexuality to our sense of self, dignity and personhood. In refusing to recognise equality, dignity and life not just in law but in us, the SC has erased our humanity and refused to recognise our lives," he added.

The community members expressed anguish as well as fear of being vulnerable to all sorts of exploitation, prejudice and feeling ostracised.

Expressing their support to the LGBT, Jagmati of the AIDWA said, "It is the same sick mentality of people of this country that those khap panchayats speak of honour killing, and here the rights of LGBTs is being shunned." "Our politicians indulge in vote bank politics. They don't want to give importance to minorities. They feel it is unimportant to address our rights," she said.

A mother of a Lesbian daughter and one of the 19 members of a group of parents who filed a petition in a Mumbai court for decriminalising homosexuality, Chitra joined the protest to show solidarity with the community members here. "When I don't find my daughter different from others, only because of sexual orientation why should the court term her a criminal," she said.

Also criticising BJP president Rajnath Singh for favouring the SC judgement against gay sex, a member of transgender community said, "when he came on our doors for votes, he was of a different opinion on gays, but today he is showing a different face, why didn't he say this before the elections, why now?"

They also criticised yoga guru Baba Ramdev for calling homosexuality a disease.

Recalling the December 16 gangrape incident, the members said they would fight against sexual violence in a similar way and announced that they will stage protests again tomorrow.

To view images from the various protests across cities, click here