Indian Activists to Challenge Anti-Gay Ruling
Daily
Times, September 5, 2004
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NEW DELHI: Gay activists in India
on Saturday vowed to challenge a High Court decision to dismiss a petition
seeking to legalise homosexuality.
The petition, filed in December 2001, sought to overturn
laws which make homosexuality between consenting adults punishable by up to 10
years in prison.
“After three years of going back and forth the High
Court has thrown out our petition on the flimsiest and most baffling
grounds,” Shaleen Rakesh from the Naz Foundation told AFP.
“But we are not prepared to sit back and accept what
the court is throwing at us. We are studying legal options in front of us and
will file a review petition in the High Court or take the matter to the
Supreme Court,” he said.
The Naz foundation challenged India’s anti-gay laws
after some of its members were harassed by police for handing out safe-sex
brochures.
The court on Thursday ruled that the “validity of a
law” cannot be challenged by anyone who is “not affected by it,” without
further explanation.
Government lawyers earlier told the court that the
abolition of the law “could result in delinquent behaviour” and the
erosion of “strong Indian family values.” afp
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