Indian government officials denounce homosexuality, outraging activists

[maddezmom]

NEW DELHI — A top lawyer for the Indian government on Thursday called homosexual sex an immoral act that threatens social order, a dramatic reversal that outraged activists in this country’s nascent gay rights movement.

¬snip¬

“Our constitution is different and our moral and social values are also different from other countries, so we cannot follow them,” Malhotra said, according to the Press Trust of India. “Gay sex is highly immoral and against social order and there is high chance of spreading of diseases through such acts.”

The argument came just a day after a government-backed child rights commission told the court that legalizing homosexuality would promote child abuse.

Taken together, the statements shocked activists who won a historic judgement just three years ago when the Delhi High Court overruled a colonial-era ban on gay sex. Since then tens of thousands of Indian gays have attended colorful annual parades on the streets of the Indian capital.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/indias-top-government-lawyer-denounces-homosexuality-outraging-activists/2012/02/23/gIQA33u7UR_story.html

[MADem]

1. Oh, Indian Goverment--that's just not smart or helpful!

Why don't they denounce the sun for rising, or the tide for coming in?

When will people understand that homosexuality is just one point on the continuum of sexuality, and when will people stop giving a shit what others do and who they choose to care about?

And when will they stop confusing homosexuality with pedophilia? Every time I see some bastard get arrested for messing with children, it's usually some married guy with a couple of kids, a la Sandusky!

[dipsydoodle]

2. India home ministry disowns call for gay sex ban

India's home ministry has disowned an apparent call from a government lawyer for a landmark ruling decriminalising gay sex to be overturned.

Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra had told the Supreme Court that homosexuality was immoral.

But it turned out he had been reading an old statement delivered before the 2009 judgment. The home ministry said there had been a "miscommunication".

The Supreme Court is hearing challenges from groups opposing the new law.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17136780

This subject actually cropped up a few weeks ago here when some confusion arose from the headline which was copied as per DU's LBN rules - it missed out the word India because the news was from Times India and hence unnecessary in its own headline. As a result it stated "Supreme Court.......... I can't find it here at present - we need our own internal search engine back. I think this links to the subject and confirms date of 16th February http://www.topix.net/forum/news/gay/TN7I27IA2LUDVU5CC

[maddezmom]

3. thank you for the update

[dipsydoodle]

4. Found the other link on DU now

How homosexual act is against nature, Supreme Court asks anti-gay group

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101452305

See what I mean about the all important word "India" being missing.

[barbtries]

7. so it was a mistake?!

sigh.

[dipsydoodle]

8. There was a later correction of some desciption.

.

[HopeHoops]

5. Does Mr. Frothy know about this?

[barbtries]

6. i don't get what's so hard about it.

or why progress has to be so slow and painful. people, we're all just people.

[LiberalLovinLug]

9. Homophobia knows no borders