Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Amidst hullabaloo over the Supreme Court`s ruling restoring the ban on gay sex, the Congress has sought the Bharatiya Janata Party`s prime ministerial candidate`s opinion on the matter.
Talking to a news channel, Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha asked the reason behind Narendra Modi`s silence over the Supreme Court`s ruling on gay rights.
Jha, talking to another channel, described Modi`s silence as deafening.
"India and its people, young and old, want to know what is your (Narendra Modi) opinion on Section 377," asked Jha.
Earlier in the day, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she was "disappointed" over the apex court ruling on the issue of gay rights.
The Congress president also expressed hope that Parliament will uphold the constitutional guarantee of life and liberty to all citizens including those directly affected by the Supreme Court judgment on Wednesday that upheld a law banning same gender sex.
"I am disappointed that the Supreme Court reversed the previous Delhi High Court ruling on the issue of gay rights," Gandhi said in a statement.
"I hope Parliament will address this issue and uphold constitutional guarantee of life and liberty to all citizens including those directly affected by this judgment."
"We are proud that our culture has always been an inclusive and tolerant one," she said.
Gay activists have protested the Supreme Court verdict that ruled that consensual sex between adults of the same gender was an offence, as held in Section 377 of the IPC. It set aside the Delhi High Court verdict of 2009, which had decriminalised sexual relationship between adults of the same gender under that law.
(With Agency inputs)
