What is the percentage of homosexuals in our over-a-billion strong plural Bharat? This is the zillion-dollar question to be answered succinctly and coolly by the practitioners of the sleaze as well as its advocates and apologists.
The western data is 10 per cent. What is the Indian statistics? Will the three central Ministries, involved in the question, Health, Home and Law, enlighten the bewildered nation? We insist upon a correct, verified and responsible response to the significant question, particularly because, first, we live in a vibrant democracy, in which matters are settled on the basis of majority; and secondly, because Section 377 of Indian Penal Code has been struck down as it was in conflict with Articles 14, 15 and 21.
It means that a situation is being envisaged, which would be free from collusion between articles and articles and articles and sections. It means, the gays and lesbians will have to come out with the ‘merits’ of their sexual preference and ‘demerits’ of the preference of the normal human beings. Let them present their case supported by data in clear-cut and quite unambiguous terms. It is necessary to facilitate their task.
The three Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam prohibit not only sodomy and lesbianism but all sorts of deviant as well as pre-marital and extramarital sex.
HINDUISM
The case of Hinduism appears to be blurred. The educated abhor it while the conservative remain mysteriously silent on the question. If what we have curiously read on the subject and if that is the last word on the question, it is outrageous. We would be happy if some Hindu scholar corrects us so that we may not repeat the hearsay.
Wonder-struck, we ask: are some Hindu scriptures really full of sexual allusions, frank eroticism and stories of venal love? So says A.L. Basham in The Wonders That Was India (1968, p. 172).
Periodically some of our magazines happen to publish what is carved in stones in some of our ancient temples. The January, 2008 issue of “the Sunday Indian” published a three-column picture of Khajuraho Temple, titled “Of Prudes & Misplaced Pride”. This tale-tell picture which cannot be reproduced for the reasons of decency and because it may also unnecessarily hurt the sensibilities of the educated section of our majority community, leaves nothing for imagination.
Is it the reason, we surmise, why the various Sankaracharyas, Sants, Saints, Sadhus and Bhagwans are silent upon the Delhi High Court verdict, which has perhaps inadvertently opened the flood gates of filth, before which the Three Ks, Konark, Khajuraho and Kamasutra would pale into insignificance.
The changed and the ever-changing times should not inveigle us Indians into believing that the time-honoured moral values are, and can be, relative terms. Certain moral values are absolute and brook no alteration or change, as they are rooted in the basic structure of various religions. If you try to demolish them or even try to fiddle with them, the entire edifice would come crashing down.
One of those time-honoured values is the institution of marriage, bed-rocked into virginity, chastity, fidelity and faithfulness. Just an invisible crack in the matrimonial brick can cause havoc, ultimately leading to separation, followed by untold misery to spouses and their innocent children. Gradually but steadily the plural Bharat is heading towards a precipice, after which there is a bottomless pit, the pit of immorality.
When Mr M.C. Chagla’s spirited advocacy of abortion ultimately succeeded in the enactment of a law by parliament, it gave a fillip to promiscuity.
How many homes have been broken in the process nobody knows exactly? Now a time has come when just a pill can prevent pregnancy, even after 72 hours of intercourse. So much for the progress of philosophy behind abortion.
THE LATEST
Now the latest onslaught is the family life, which in turn, is bound to tell upon national life. The law on abortion prevented births. The incoming law, which would legalise man-man relationship or sodomy and woman-woman relationship or lesbianism is going to assault our families and homes. How? Man would marry man and woman would marry woman. Marriage would become irrelevant as it has already become so in the west, where the live-ins or living together is also a way of life. Majority of the Americans today consist of those who have been conceived on the wrong side of the quilt. This is the public admission of the Americans themselves.
GENESIS
It was on July 2, 2009 that the Delhi High Court declared infructuous Section 377 which prohibits same sex which is against the order of nature. The Supreme Court, to the utter chagrin of the majority of Indians, did not interfere with the judgement. In this context we are seriously apprehensive that the government would indirectly approve of the same sex relationship between man and man and woman and woman.
As the matters stand, the Law Ministry, the Home Ministry as well as the Ministry for Health do not see any criminality in gay life and lesbianism. Therefore they are not going to oppose the Delhi High Court verdict. As far as central government is concerned, it has in a very subtle and diplomatic manner, tried to throw the ball in the court of the High Court. The government game seems to let the responsibility, in final analysis, fall upon the Supreme Court.
VICTIMS
The worst victims of this game are going to be innocent children. During the past five years more than 300 children have fallen victims to the claws of lecherous. Those who caused damage to their lives were 90 per cent adults. According to the Crime Reports Bureau Information and Studies on criminal jurisdiction and child abuse in India, Section 377 is the only provision to protect the millions of abused children and to supplement the shortcomings in the rape laws which apply only when there is a vaginal penetration.
Collapse of family and breakage of homes is going to be the inevitable result of legalising sodomy and lesbian-ties. The only ray of hope in the otherwise dark clouds is the cases before the Supreme Court. But the powerful cases need powerful advocates also.