In a sensational development, India’s Supreme Court has declared that ‘gay sex’ is no longer a criminal offence. The historic decision overturns a 2013 judgement that maintained a colonial-era law, called as section 377, under which gay sex is deemed as “unnatural offence”.
The court has ruled discrimination according to sexual orientation is a violation of human rights. If you are figuring out who steered the fight in bringing down the section 377 case, it is none other than Menaka Guruswamy.
She is a potential advocate by trait. The lawyer constantly fought for those people around the world who were ignored. She was someone who always dreamt of a complete freedom. She worked day and night to get the decision in their favour. People cheered her for turning the tide in LGBT! favour. She deserves a massive respect.
Menaka Guruswamy is the only woman in the all-male team who successfully fought the battle against Section 377. Guruswamy chipped in with strong arguments in Supreme Court and the one-woman army dominated other male-team of lawyers while fighting the case, which proved to be a sheer force in bringing down Section 377. Guruswamy’s concrete argument stressed the fact that Section 377 violates Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
Apart from being an advocate, Guruswamy is a proud activist and Rhodes Scholar. She pursued Civil Law from Oxford University and plied her trade at a law firm in New York. She is also a Human Rights Consultant to the United Nations. Menaka Guruswamy is also the first Indian woman to have her “painting” at Milner Hall in Rhodes House in Oxford University.
This inspiration woman returned to India to practice law here, because of her supreme belief in Indian Constitution. She said in a Rhodes interview, “Because my heart is in constitutional law – Indian constitutional law. Most of my practice, the practice I care most deeply about, is constitutional rights.”
While talking about women in Indian courthouses, she said, “I think in India as a woman, and as a woman lawyer, you have to listen to your heart and say that you will get there. Because everything around you says that you can’t. But times are changing, things are changing, and there are wonderful young women who just want to have their piece of the courtroom.”
“The most natural thing is human instincts, to love and be loved. This statue (of decriminalizing homosexuality) is Victorian morality belonging to 1850s or 60s. This is not who we are and if the drafters of the constitution were here today then they would have said that a repeal of section 377 is long overdue”, she told Times Now.
Now, let’s take a moment to appreciate Menaka Guruswamy for doing such a remarkable job. Kindly forward this article to others and let’s make her famous worldwide and that’s the best gift we can give to her.
