By India Tomorrow News,
New Delhi/Jaipur, 28 Dec 2013: With the central government moving the Supreme Court seeking review of its 11 Dec order against homosexuality, leaders from different religions are mulling to launch nationwide campaign against the government move.
A public conference on “Homosexuality and Indian Society” is going to be held on Sunday (29 Dec 2013) at India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi. The daylong program will be addressed by eminent religious personalities from Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Christianity including Jagat Guru Swami Omkaranand, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari, Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, Gyani Ranjit Singh, Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni and Fr. Dominic Emmanuel.
Last week these leaders had held a joint press conference at Press Club of India. They welcomed the Supreme Court order upholding the section 377 of Indian Penal Code which holds homosexuality as a criminal offence. The leaders condemned the government for contemplating to amend the law in favour of minuscule minority of gays and lesbians. They also hinted at launching public protests if govt. did not budge.
“We are planning such public meetings in different parts of the country including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala,” said Mohammad Ahmed, secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and convenor of the campaign against homosexuality.
He warned that if the government did not listen to the religious leaders they will come out on streets and launch mass movements.
Meanwhile, religious and social leaders of Rajasthan held a joint press conference on Friday (27 Dec) and hailed the Supreme Court’s decision overturning the 2009 decision of the Delhi High Court that decriminalized homosexuality.
Addressing the pressmen, Muhammad Salim Engineer, National Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, slammed the fans of western civilisation ‘who are advocating these despicable tendencies in the guise of personal, human and minority rights.’
“This is the matter of fact that this kind of ailments has ruined the family structure and social values in Western countries,” he further said.
Mr. Satyavrat Samvedi, President of Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, said that extramarital relations are not permitted in the Vedic Religion whereas homosexuality is a sin and punishable crime. He announced that soon his organisation will start a signature campaign amongst the youth.
Representing the Jain Community, Mr. G. L. Nahar and Ajay Nagauri of the Anuvrat Samiti Jaipur said that in a religious country like India that upholds moral values and believes in the institution of marriage the cults like extramarital and gay sex are held as serious sin and crime against the humanity, even according to Jainism both are offences. He said that if we recognise this kind of relationships, the word ‘mother’ might vanish from the world.
Retired judge and state president of the Bhartiya Bodh Mahasabha, Mr. T.C. Rahul opined that extra marital relationship and homosexuality are equally sin and crime against humanity according to the religion of Buddha.
Sawai Singh, Convener Sadbhav Manch Rajasthan said that we are used to blindly follow the west and attracted towards everything, including culture and trends that come from the west.
Medical Service Society of India’s National Vice President Dr. Mohammad Husain said that homosexuality is a curable mental illness. If not treated it impacts mental and physical health besides ruining the person’s social life.
The press conference was also addressed by Father Vijay Paul Singh, President Masihi Shakti Samiti.
