The gates of the Supreme Court which were shut on them back in December 2013 became a place of celebration for the LGBT community on Tuesday as the apex court agreed to revisit a plea against the colonial era Section 377 of the IPC.
It was a moment of unabashed laughter and hugs for those who had gathered outside the Supreme Court as soon as news of the eight curative petitions being referred to a five-judge Constitution Bench was out. Many teamed up to sing “We shall overcome,” though they were aware that it was just a beginning of another long battle.
Celebrating the decision, Anjali Gopalan, founder and executive director of Naz Foundation Trust, which is one of the eight petitioners, said, “It is a great relief as it could have possibly been the end of the legal road for us and we are happy that there seems to be a change in sentiment.”
For Gautam Bhan of Voices Against 377, which is another petitioner, the referral is “a major development.”
Mahika Banerjee, who is pursuing postgraduation in Sociology and relates herself to the queer community, called Tuesday’s decision “a ray of hope.”
