Congress proposes, Deoband disposes

We have been observing with mild amusement the media drama over the possible repeal of article 377. Funny how people never learn, perhaps people do have an inherent propensity for self-deception. Maybe 24/7 barrage of media propaganda makes people truly believe we are a secular country.

After remaining on the fence for several months, the powerful Deoband seminary finally came out with their opinion on the issue:

A leading Islamic seminary on Monday opposed Centre's move to repeal a controversial section of the penal law which criminalises homosexuality saying unnatural sex is against the tenets of Islam.

"Homosexuality is an offence under Shariat Law and haram (prohibited) in Islam," deputy vice chancellor of the Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana Abdul Khalik Madrasi said. Madrasi also asked the government not to repeal section 377 of IPC which criminalises homosexuality. [link]

That pretty much sealed the deal on the issue. After this, assorted UPA ministers and spokespersons were seen furiously backpedalling. Suddenly they were all consensus seeking friendly debators who would never push an issue without consultation with all sections of the society:

[...] Law minister Veerappa Moily assured that a wide debate on the issue would take care of reservations of Christian groups. "The government cannot take a decision in a hurry. We need to apply our mind," he said in Hyderabad, adding, "We are examining it."

Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was as non-committal. "I can simply say there should be more debate -- public debate, Parliament debate. There has to be a consensus. The negative and positive has to be evaluated and then a conclusion should be evolved," he said. [link]

Veerappa Moily's singling out of Christian groups as the main barrier for the repeal of the law is laughably disingenuous. These guys can't even honestly admit their subservience to a certain set of people. It is true that most religious groups have hard line factions which oppose the proposed law changes, but there is only one group which can truly veto a democratic process or should we say truly makes India "secular".

Equally cringe inducing is the Times of India editorial on the issue which unnecessarily drags the issue of religious conversion into the mix. The piece is curiously titled "One step too far" which appears to suggest their position is against the move.

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So, why did the secular party raise the bogey in the first place? After all they can't be that clueless about the tenets of a faith or the position of its adherents, which de facto provides their political bread and butter?

The answer is quite simple - this manoeuvre alone can create a sizable vote bank for the party. The percentage of people with alternate sexual choices can be as high as 10 percent. This is particularly important for the urban centers.

The Reason for Liberty blog elaborates further on the issue. They are of the opinion that article 377 needs to go but Governments should refrain from converting people with alternate sexual choices into a permanent victim group.