Supreme Court: Khushboo free to opine on pre-marital sex

April 28, 2010

Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:49pm IST

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed 22 criminal cases

against actress Khushboo for her remarks on pre-marital sex, which had drawn

angry protests in the conservative country.

Khushboo, a well-known actress in south India, has said her remarks in a 2005

magazine interview on the importance of women taking adequate precautions if

they indulged in pre-marital sex in order to prevent AIDS, had been taken out of

context.

Following the interview, there were demonstrations and protests against what was

perceived as an endorsement of pre-marital sex in a country where marriages

arranged by parents are still largely the norm.

The Supreme Court said her comments were her personal view and that that she was

entitled to express them.

" The comments are not in variance to individual freedom, " the judges said in

their judgement on Wednesday.

The outspoken actress said she felt vindicated.

" It's great. I know what I have spoken is absolutely right, " Khushboo told

CNN-IBN news channel.

More than half of India's population is below the age of 25 years and the

country's cities are rapidly modernising, but a traditional ethos still

prevails, and attitudes toward marriage, pre-marital sex and live-in

relationships are conservative.

(Reporting by R. Venkatraman; Editing by Rina Chandran)

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