A Comment On Our Times

On the recent judgement of Delhi High Court holding Section 337 of the Indian Penal Code[ which prohibited homosexuality ]

as partially unconstitutional, Sri. S Gurumurthy, well known economic and political commentator, has written an excellent article in

all the editions of the New Indian Express dated Sunday 5th July 2009.

Relevant extracts, which caught my particular attention ,are reproduced in the attachment , on the presumption they might interest you


B.M.N. Murthy, 5th July 2009

Homosexuality is not a virtue


“The Indian society had evolved one man-one wife as the ideal model for life but never made it the law. It had indeed celebrated monogamy but had never prohibited or punished polygamy. It did not even outlaw polyandry. Even today, regardless of the law, polygamy prevails in certain parts of India. Even polyandry exists in certain communities in North India. It is neither proscribed nor accepted by others. But even those who did not follow the ideal of monogamy never disputed its virtue; nor did those who followed that virtue look down upon those who did not.

Sri Rama was monogamous but his father Dasharatha was polygamous. Yet Rama revered him, obeyed him totally. Rama is therefore regarded, besides an deal being
[Adarsha Purusha], an ideal son as well. But Prahlada defied his father and he is regarded as an ideal person though some may not see him as an ideal son like Rama. Likewise, Sita obeyed her husband but Meera defied hers and yet both are accepted as great. Obeying one’s husband or one’s father or being monogamous was held as a high virtue.
Even the more macro idea “Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah, namely non-violence as the ‘highest value’, was regarded as a virtue of those only who had renounced the world; it was not for householders and others. So, the society was ruled more by more by hierarchy of virtues and illustrative conduct than by law. What is correct was never judged by how many people adhered to it; but how virtuous it was and regarded by all such.”

S. Gurumurthy in Indian Express dated 5th July 2009.


Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code is partly unconstitutional
Created: Sunday, July 5, 2009 1:54 AM