India’s home ministry urges ban on gay sexFebruary 23, 2012 - 12:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - India's home ministry urged the country's Supreme Court on Thursday, Feb 23, to reverse a landmark decision to decriminalize gay sex, saying homosexuality was immoral, "against nature and spreads HIV." The Supreme Court is hearing more than a dozen petitions filed to overturn a 2009 ruling by a Delhi High Court that made gay sex between consenting adults legal for the first time. The colonial-era ban was judged to be unconstitutional in a decision hailed by gay activists as a victory in their fight for equal rights and opportunities in the world's biggest democracy. Gay sex "is highly immoral and against the social order," additional solicitor general P.P. Malhotra, who is representing the home ministry, told the top court. He added that it was "against nature and spreads HIV." The ministry said it favoured the ban staying in place in order to prevent child abuse and because Indian society was largely against homosexuality according to a survey by the Law Commission, Malhotra explained. "Laws can't run separately from society and the morals of the time," he said, AFP reported.   Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says.   Partner news |  Related sections Latest news Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty  Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty.Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza.Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations.U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |
