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Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009
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Azad for wider debate on Section 377

Aarti Dhar

Ghulam Nabi Azad

NEW DELHI: Taking a view different from his predecessor, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday called for a parliamentary debate and “wider consensus” on amending Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that criminalises homosexuality.

Talking to reporters here, Mr. Azad said there was need for a public debate on the issue.

“Personal opinions and those of various Ministries should not prevail. There has to be a consensus after weighing the positive and negative impacts of the amendments,” he said.

The former Health Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, favoured an amendment to Section 377.

The matter related to the culture and public health and even harassment and discrimination meted out to people with different sexual preferences, and had to be discussed widely, he said. “As of now, people’s minds are closed and I don’t think a proper debate has been held so far.”

The issue, Mr. Azad said, needed to be debated in Parliament and discussed in the public domain through newspapers and television channels.

Meanwhile, the Congress said the government had not formed any opinion on the issue and was still in consultation with the stakeholders. Party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said religious and social leaders needed to be taken into confidence before any decision was taken. “It is a normal government process. The party does not have any opinion on it.”

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