Now that BJP-NDA is in power and they have absolute majority the time for prevarications are over. There is no opportunity to hide behind coalition partners (as the Congress often did, especially with the Women in Parliament Reservations Bill). We understand that people who have voted in favor of BJP (not including ourselves) were in part motivated by the fact that it will take bold decisions for the long-term benefit of society (even if they prove to be unpopular in the short run).
The good news is that the Health Minister Shri Harsh Vardhan (who is an actual medical doctor) has announced that the human rights of gays must be protected. Now his party needs to translate his words into action and pass a gay rights bill in the parliament.
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Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today batted for “human rights” of gays
and said it was the government’s job to protect their rights.
“Everybody, including gays, has human rights. It is the job of the
government to protect their rights,” he said on the sidelines of an
event.
He, however, declined to make further comments when asked to explain his
position as his party, BJP, had supported the Supreme Court judgment
which had upheld the validity of Section 377 of IPC, criminalising sex
among homosexuals.
BJP, which was in opposition when the Supreme Court judgement came last
year, had said it was for the government to decide the next course of
action over the matter, and the party would take a position depending on
the official move.
The SC is at present hearing a curative petition on the matter.
Senior BJP leaders have spoken in different voices over the issue and
then party President and present Home Minister Rajnath Singh had termed
gay sex “unnatural.”
Another senior leader and present Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had
taken a more liberal position, saying he tended to agree more with the
Delhi High Court order decriminalising gay sex, which was later
overturned by the apex court.
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Link: http://www.outlookindia.com/news/printitem.aspx?850245
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regards
