Joint Statement of Religious Leaders On “Supreme Court order on Section 377”
19 December 2013
New Delhi, 19 Dec 2013: The decision of the Supreme Court on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code is not only in line with the eastern traditions of this country, moral values and religious teachings but it also removes apprehensions about invasion of western culture and disintegration of family system and fabric of social life – the inevitable fallouts of the Delhi High Court order of 2009 wherein it decriminalized homosexuality.
Our India is a religious country whose overwhelming majority believes in religion and upholds traditions of the east. All religions emphasize on construction of a family through marital relation between men and women, on which depend not only the existence of human race and lasting peace and tranquillity in the society but it also establishes the respected and central position of woman in the society.
The Constitution of the country has rightly described homosexuality as a punishable offence. It is because homosexuality not only prevents evolution and progress of human race but also destroys family system and social relations. Moreover, it is a great danger to public health. Medical research has also found it as a basic reason for the spread of AIDS.
As representatives of different religious organizations, we welcome the decision of the Supreme Court (delivered on 11 Dec 2013). With this historic decision, the apex court has kept the country from going on to the path of destruction. We are concerned that lovers of western culture, in the name of individual freedom, minority rights and other lame excuses, are putting pressure on political parties and governments for amendment in the law so that this shameless and criminal offence could be legalized.
We warn the government and political parties that we will never accept it if they do it ignoring religious teachings, eastern culture and opinion of the overwhelming majority of the people. Such filthy experiments have destroyed human society and violated the rights of women at a large scale in the west. We should learn from it.
We, therefore appeal to the government and all political parties to accept this revolutionary and wise decision of the Supreme Court with open heart. We urge the supporters of western culture to take homosexuality as a crime and come forward to save the society of the country from this heinous act.
Signatories:
Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari – (Ameer (National President), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
Maulana Mufti Mukarram Ahmed – Shahi Imam, Fatehpuri Masjid
Jagat Guru Swami Omkar Anand- Sanatan Dharm
Gyani Ranjit Singh-Chief Priest, Bangla Saheb
Fr. Dominic Emmanuel
Lokesh Muni- Jain Dharm
