Religious groups hail SC verdict on homosexuality

Hailing the Supreme Court verdict against homosexuality, thirteen heads of religious groups and NGOs in Rajasthan warned the UPA government against favouring gay or lesbian freedom.

Jaipur: Hailing the Supreme Court verdict against homosexuality, thirteen heads of religious groups and NGOs in Rajasthan on Thursday warned the UPA government against favouring gay or lesbian freedom.

Threatening to go on protests if such a law was brought in, the group said homosexuality was a crime and against nature and Indian culture and traditions. A ban on live-in relationships in India has also been sought, Dr Mohammed Saleem Engineer of Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind, who led the group, told a joint press conference here today. The forum comprised heads of religious groups, including those of Hindu, Buddhist,?Arya Samaj, Christian communities, and some NGOs. Condemning Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi who desired to support homosexuality, the group said they were working to fulfil needs of capitalists and American policies. "Homosexuality should be criminal offence, and those who are found guilty should be punished to save our society," Saleem said. Father Vijaypal Singh, the chairman of Masihi Shakti Sangathan, termed the man and man, or woman-woman relations as a sin saying even the Bible did not allow such relationships that destroy family unity and spoil society. Dr Mohammed Hussain, the national vice president of Medical Service Society, alleged that the lesbian or gayship was a condition of mental disorder that invites a number of diseases including AIDS, VDs. "We all bring social awareness about these social evils and oppose any move of the UPA government, if the SC`s verdict is challenged," they jointly warned.