It’s now religion versus homosexuality

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi: Troubles continue to brew for the controversial pro-gay ruling of the Delhi high court, with the debate now moving out of the courtroom to the streets as well as the places of worship. 

A day after yogic leader Bapu Ramdev registered his strong opposition to the High Court verdict legalizing same-sex relationships to the extent that they are consensual (he called homosexuality a “treatable disease), representatives of Islam, Christianity and Jainism today came out in the open in protest against the judgment.

The religious preachers, led by Acharya Lokesh Muni of the Jain school of thought, went many steps further in running down the judgment as part of a “well-thought-out conspiracy to strike at the root of Indian culture and civilisation, which had stayed intact for centuries.”

While the Muslim and Christian theologists termed the practice as contrary to moral and religious codes, the Jains were the most vocal in seeing a “conspiracy” behind the de-criminalization of homosexuality – a law that the British had enacted in the first place. 

“This is immoral, unethical and unhygienic. It will lead to a complete breakdown of the social codes and systems and pave the way for anarchy. Today these people are seeking legalization of man-man, woman-woman relationships. Tomorrow the subject of desire could be animals, even birds. There is no end to this. We call for restraint in the matter and cautious deliberation,” said Muni, in Delhi today.

The leaders also issued a joint statement in the wake of Supreme Court’s notice to the government on a petition challenging the anti-gay ruling of the high court. “We hope the government keeps in mind the moral, cultural and health issues while firming up its stand on this matter. In our opinion, such behaviour is deviant and deprave and must be discouraged at every cost,” they said.

Source: Tribune News Service
Date: July 09, 2009