LGBT Bill -decriminalise homosexuality defeated in Indian Parliament

Mar 12 2016 : The Times of India (Chennai)

Tharoor's bill to decriminalise homosexuality defeated in LS

New Delhi: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Lok Sabha on Friday voted against the introduction of a private member's bill to decriminalise homosexuality, as Congress member Shashi Tharoor blamed the BJP for using its “brute majority“ to thwart his second attempt in three months to introduce the measure. Tharoor said it was “religious bigotry“ of the ruling party that had disallowed discussion on his private bill to amend the “colonial era“ Section 377 of the IPC, which criminalises homosexuality , marking “a low in the proud annals of Indian democracy“. He used the opportunity to voice his anguish while moving another bill on the rights of transgenders, when the House was transacting Private Members' Business. A few minutes before, the Lok Sabha had rejected the introduction of Tharoor's Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2016 to amend Section 377 of the IPC.Expressing anguish at the rejection of his bill at the introduction stage, Tharoor said it was “a low in the proud annals of Indian democracy“ where “brute majority prevailed over the rights of a member“ to bring the measure. The Congress member regretted that he House was not allowed to deliberate on a law, which was ramed by the British rulers on he principles of Victorian morality .In effect, the bill aims to de criminalise sexual inter course in private between con senting adults, irrespective of heir sexuality or gender by re stricting the applicability of he section.
As Tharoor sought to intro duce the private member's bill BJP members negated the mo ion but the Congress member nsisted on a division of House Fifty-eight out of 73 members present voted against introduction of the Bill, while 14 favoured it. One member abstained from voting. Tharoor's previous attempt to introduce a similar bill in the Lok Sabha on December 18 too was voted out. Tharoor had then said he would make another attempt to introduce the bill.
While extending support to the Transgender Bill, which was already approved by the Rajya Sabha, Tharoor said Indian culture and tradition has several references to transgenders and there was a pressing need to treat them with dignity .