Divorced from 377, gay couple in 'fearless' union

July 8, 2009

8 Jul 2009, 0212 hrs IST, Shimona Kanwar, TNN

CHANDIGARH: This could just be the first real indication of a persecuted

community's sudden faith in the law safeguarding their lives — and loves

Amrit and Jeeta. (TOI Photo)

— post Article 377, and the beginning of a string of same-sex marriages in the

country.

In perhaps the first gay marriage after the Delhi High Court in a landmark

judgment read down Article 377, a law that made even consensual sex between

adult homosexuals a punishable offence, two 18-year-old men, brushing aside

protests from family and jeers from society, went to a temple near their house

in Chandigarh and " got hitched for life " .

As a motley crowd of gays and a few well-wishers cheered the newly married

couple, Amrit held his partner Jeeta close and said their union was possible

only because of the rethink on the anti-homosexual section of IPC.

" I was so delighted after the court's verdict that we both decided to get

married, " said Jeeta, who fell in love with Amrit three months ago when he

stayed in the latter's house in Kajheri, Chandigarh, as a tenant. " We had been

facing discrimination in public, at the work place and at home. But things may

look up for people like us now. "

But the Monday night wedding at a Shirdi temple hasn't made Amrit's family too

happy.

While his mother still refused to accept that her son is gay, Amrit's brother

hid his face under a scarf. " Who told you that my son is like that, " the mother

growled. " He is fine and is employed with a pharmaceutical factory. "

Rakesh Kumar, who works in the Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre at

GMCH-32 here and was a witness to the marriage, said, " Both looked very happy

and free. The reception will follow in a few days. The marriage itself was low

key as people may not be ready to accept such a thing so soon. "

Amrit, already looking forward to the reception, said he felt like he had

inhaled a huge gulp of oxygen. " I feel so alive, " he said. " For the reception I

will be calling a few selected friends who encouraged us in this bold step. But

it will be open, with no fear of anyone.

There are so many like us who secretly love each other. But few have the courage

to get married. Maybe this step of ours can motivate the rest of the community

to break the fetters of society. "

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