PM asks Cabinet colleagues to sort out rift over gay laws

October 17, 2008

Statesman News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct. 16: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has intervened in the

intra-Cabinet war between home minister Mr Shivraj Patil and health minister Dr

Ambumani Ramadoss over the question of legalising homosexuality, asking the two

ministers to sit down and sort out the issue.

The issue figured at today's Cabinet meeting in the wake of Delhi High Court

hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the legality of Section

377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which bans sexual relations among people of

the same gender. While the home ministry wants the penal provision to continue,

saying that it is in keeping with Indian tradition, the health ministry has

argued for decriminalising homosexuality on the grounds that it impedes the

battle against HIV/AIDS.

The court had yesterday pulled up the Centre for relying on religious texts to

justify the prohibition on gay sex in the country and asked for scientific

reports to justify it.

In India about 86 per cent HIV/AIDS affected persons are men having sex with men

(MSM) and it is increasing. According to the IPC, a doctor treating such a

person for HIV/AIDS can be jailed as it is an offence and so can be the case

with a social worker who can also be jailed, Dr Ramadoss said.

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