Lalu targets govt on Section 377: ‘India’s culture being destroyed’

Joshi said the developments in the US and Britain not only had an impact all over the world but held grave lessons for India as well. He said the economic crisis could result in problems for the Indian IT companies there and pose problems for the Indians settled there,following demands that those who are not American or British should be sent back.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad,however,voiced his own interpretation of the ailments of modernisation. Saying that Joshi was just beating around the bush,he said the key issues were not the divide between rich and poor or killings and violence,but where India was heading. “This land is considered to be of saints and sages,but what is happening today. Women are walking naked on the roads,with tattoos painted on their faces,” he said.

He also criticised the government for quietly legalising gay and lesbian relationships by not challenging the Delhi High Court order scrapping Section 377 of the IPC that penalises homosexuality. “Now women will marry women,and men will marry men. The country is not aware of the full facts,and out of shame,we refuse to even talk about it.” he said,adding that such things “destroyed the culture and tradition” of the nation.

He then gave his own exposition on the erotic sculptures in the temples in Konark and Khajuraho. There was a time,he said,when India’s population started sliding as they started gravitating towards religion. “When this threat of declining population became real,the erotic sculptures were made so that the feeling of sex could be generated,” he said,adding that there was,however,no need for such temples now.

“Now,facebook,twitter,internet,valentine and i-pad is making everything available at the touch of a button. Everywhere there is nudity. And we are feeling helpless,unable to do anything,” he said.

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said the unrest in the UK was the outcome of declining moral values. “The British parliament is now meeting to understand the reason behind the violence and we are adopting the same values in India,” he said.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said all members were unanimous in feeling that the country should not follow the US or British models,but should develop its own unique model.