Azad for debate on gay law, Moily says nothing in hurry

New Delhi/Hyderabad, Jun 29 (PTI) The Indian
Government Monday treaded cautiously on any move to legalise
homosexuality with the Union Health Ministry calling for more
debate and a "broad consensus" while the Law Ministry said
nothing will be done in a hurry to repeal Section 377 of the
IPC which criminalises this practice.

"I can simply say that there should be more debate --
public debate, Parliament debate. There has to be consensus.
The negative and positive has to be evaluated and then a
conclusion should be evolved," Health Minister Ghulam Nabi
Azad said at a press conference in New Delhi when asked about
the Centre's move to have a re-look at Section 377 which
criminalises homosexuality.

Asserting that there could not be a better forum than
Parliament to debate the issue, he said, "...there should be a
total consensus. Not only Government, but other political
parties should also be in line with it (amendment)".
"If you are going to be bringing in a legislation of
this nature, there has to be a broad consensus," he asserted.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily said Government will not
take a decision in a hurry to repeal Section 377 in the
backdrop of concerns voiced by some Christian and Muslim
religious groups against the step.

"The Government cannot take a decision in a hurry. We
need to apply our mind," he said in Hyderabad, adding "we are
examining it."

The Ministers' assessment in the wake of demands to
scrap Section 377 came even as the Congress refused to take a
stand saying the issue was still under consideration of the
government and it is yet to acquire any form. (

"This is under consideration by the government. It is
a normal government process. The party does not have any
opinion on it," Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said
responding to queries about the stand of the ruling party on
Section 377.

Concerns have been already voiced by some Christian
and Muslim religious groups against the step.

The opposition to the move grew further with a leading
Islamic seminary saying unnatural sex is against the tenets of
Islam.

"Homosexuality is offence under Shariat Law and haram
(prohibited) in Islam," Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Darul
Uloom Deoband Maulana Abdul Khalik Madrasi said in
Muzaffarnagar.

Madrasi also asked the Government not to repeal
section 377 of IPC.

Elaborating on the matter, Azad said while certain
issues were related to the country's culture, others pertained
to diseases associated with homosexuality. "There should be a
general debate where out heritage as well as diseases are
considered".

People should become apprised of all the negatives and

positives of the matter before forming their opinion, he
added.

Buoyed by the news that the Centre is considering
repealing section 377 , members of the gay community held
parades in several cities, including the national Capital
Sunday. PTI