Ironically, a court ruling that underlined Nehru, inclusion, discrimination, fundamental rights, and the right to equality evinced a deafening silence from the entire political establishment while it got a ringing endorsement from other quarters, including the judiciary and large sections of the civil society.

The CPM was the only party whose leadership effectively endorsed the ruling. “In the light of the High Court judgement, if there is a move to amend Section 377, then we will support it,” party general secretary Prakash Karat told The Indian Express.

Karat’s was a rather lonely voice. With Hindu, Muslim and Christian groups vehemently criticising the order, among the very few who came out in support were NCP leaders Praful Patel and Supriya Sule, and Independent Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar.

In a bizarre stand, the ruling Congress chose to say that it had “no view” on the subject while the BJP said it had no comments to make. Its leader Murli Manohar Joshi, however, claimed that the “High Court cannot decide on everything and Parliament, country, society, are above the court”.

Even the representatives of so-called “Youngistan” in Parliament either chose to remain silent or went with the conservative opinion in favour of the status quo. Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav felt that the change should not be so much that “we start feeling ashamed” while Hamdulla Sayeed, the youngest member in the Lok Sabha, said he had no views on it.

“Times are changing but that does not mean that we change so much that we start feeling ashamed of ourselves. India is known for its culture and this (the High Court order) does not appear to be in tune with our ethos. I don’t think it is practical. I think the government should appeal against the order,” said Yadav.

... contd.