Supreme Court decriminalises homosexuality: Bollywood hails 'historical judgment'
'Three cheers for the Supreme Court,' screamed Bollywood as the apex court on Thursday decriminalised homosexuality.
Published: 06th September 2018 02:13 PM | Last Updated: 06th September 2018 04:55 PM | A+A A-
In a landmark verdict on Thursday 06 September, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra comprising Rohinton Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra scrapped the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that criminalises homosexuality. (Photo | PTI, AP)
NEW DELHI: 'Three cheers for the Supreme Court,' screamed Bollywood as the apex court on Thursday decriminalised homosexuality.
A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud, Rohinton Fali Nariman, A M Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra, issued the verdict on a bunch of petitions filed to scrap the law. "Criminalising gay sex is irrational and indefensible," observed the bench unanimously while delivering the verdict.
Terming it as a "historical judgment", celebs took to social media to express their support and happiness.
Director Hansal Mehta, who made "Aligarh", a true-life inspired film about in Aligarh Muslim University professor Ramchandra Siras, who faced discrimination for being gay, called the verdict a "new beginning".
"A new beginning. The law is gone. The Supreme Court has done what parliament failed to do. Now it's time for attitudes to change. Let's rejoice but let us also reflect. This is a new beginning. #Sec377verdict," he tweeted.
Giving the verdict a 'huge' thumbs up, ace filmmaker Karan Johar said, "Historical judgment!!!! So proud today! Decriminalising homosexuality and abolishing #Section377 is a huge thumbs up for humanity and equal rights! The country gets its oxygen back!"
Here's what the others posted:
Swara Bhasker: Congratulations to all the activists and petitioners on #SupremeCourt judgement scrapping #Section377 Your perseverance just made #India a freer place for everyone ! #LoveIsLove #Pride #377Verdict #377Scrapped Three cheers for the #SupremeCourt
Congratulations to all the activists and petitioners on #SupremeCourt judgement scrapping #Section377 Your perseverance just made #India a freer place for everyone ! #LoveIsLove #Pride #377Verdict #377Scrapped Three cheers for the #SupremeCourt pic.twitter.com/grA64TTB3w
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) September 6, 2018
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja This is the India I want to live in. Not one filled with hate, bigotry,sexism homophobia and intolerance. THIS is the India I love.
Farhan Akhtar said the verdict was "about time".
"Bye bye 377. Thank you #SupremeCourt #abouttime #nomorediscrimination #loveislove @MardOfficial," he tweeted.
Arjun Kapoor: Sanity prevails for once we can believe we have some sensible decision makers and lawmaker s available to this generation. #Section377 gone with the wind.
Sanity prevails for once we can believe we have some sensible decision makers and lawmaker s available to this generation. #Section377 gone with the wind.
— Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) September 6, 2018
Taapsee Pannu: My India of 2018!!!! Truly heartening ! Let's embrace one n all and their choices
Ayushmann Khurrana: RIP #Section377 The new sunshine of this day is that of a progressive India. Love all!
RIP #Section377
— Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) September 6, 2018
The new sunshine of this day is that of a progressive India. Love all!
Actor Nimrat Kaur wrote on Twitter, "RIP #Section377. Happy birthday 2018 !! Equal love. Equal lives.Proud Indian today."
Actor Kalki Koechlin wrote, "So happy today, thank goodness for the rainbow (and all the lawyers that helped put it there!)," she wrote.
Known as Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the 157-year-old law criminalised certain sexual acts, terming them as 'unnatural offences', punishable by a 10-year jail term.
(with PTI inputs)
