New Delhi: Hope and hype that a law which holds homosexuality as a crime will soon be repealed has come to nothing. The Government has said it has not made a decision on repealing Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
“I have never said it will be repealed--the statement has been misinterpreted. As far as Section 377 of IPC is concerned I have said I have not examined it yet,” said Law Minister Veerappa Moily on Monday.
“There is no question of one individual minister voicing his view this way or that way,” said Moily.
The gay community demands repeal of Section 377, which provides imprisonment of 10 years for unnatural sex, including that of homosexual nature, even between two consenting adults.
Home Minister P Chidambaram, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Moily are to hold a joint meeting to discuss the law, but the government now appears very cautious.
"The Cabinet has a mandate to have a re-look at the provision. But we are not going to rush to any conclusion. We will certainly take into account concerns of all sections, including religious groups like Christian church," Moily had said on Sunday.
And religious groups may not agree to an amendment to Section 377 any time soon. A leading Islamic seminary on Monday opposed any move to repeal Section 377.
"Homosexuality is an offence under Shariat Law and is haram (prohibited) in Islam," said Maulana Abdul Khalik Madrasi, deputy vice chancellor of the Darul Uloom Deoband, on Monday.
Madrasi asked the government not to repeal Section 377.
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