New Delhi: In an interesting move, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has come out in support of the gay and transgender community, ahead of the Union government’s response to the Supreme Court on petitions to legalise same-sex marriage.
India decriminalised homosexuality by scrapping a colonial-era ban on gay sex in 2018, but same-sex marriage continues to be a taboo topic in the socially conservative country of 1.4 billion.
In the past, the Narendra Modi government refused to legalise same-sex marriage.
Nevertheless, Mohan Bhagwat’s recent comments could force the Union government to reassess its opposition to the issue, a junior minister in the government said on the condition of anonymity.
Speaking to Panchjanya, an RSS-backed Hindi magazine, Bhagwat said that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community “should have their own private and social space as they are humans and have the right to live as others”.
Substantiating his claim, Bhagwat cited Hindu scriptures and mythology. He said, “Without much hullabaloo, we have found a way with a humane approach to provide them social acceptance.”
