Legalising Same-Sex Marriage – Appeal to Member Countries of G-20 Summit 2023 in India

 

Hon’ble Members,

 

Under India’s Presidency the G-20 Summit 2023 must resolve to get same-sex marriage legalised in each of the 20 member states. Many of the G-20 countries have up to two decade old record of allowing same-sex marriages introduced by legislation or through court rulings. Their rich experience of 20 years could contribute to a healthy discussion on the issue.

 

Countries where same-sex marriage is legalised	The year in which it was done
Argentina	2010
Australia	2017
Brazil	2013
Canada	2003-05
France	2013
Germany	2017
Mexico	2022
South Africa	2006
U.K.	2013-14
U.S.A.	2015

 

In E.U. some countries have legalised same-sex marriages while others have not. Media reports indicate that in South Korea recently a court ruled that a same-sex couple should receive the same benefits as different-sex couples through the National Health Insurance Service.

 

In India which presently holds the G-20 Presidency, Parliament has shied away from debating ‘Gay Manifesto’ which includes:

 

“Amend the Special Marriages Act to allow for marriages between people of the same sex (or between people who may be inter-sexed, or have undergone sex-change surgery, and any others). All consequential legal benefits of marriage should extend to gay marriages as well, including the right to adopt children, to execute a partner’s will, to inherit, etc. Same-sex couples should also be entitled to the legal benefits that accrue to their heterosexual counterparts of common law marriages.

No presumption as to fitness or unfitness for custody of a child or visitation rights shall arise based on sexual orientation of either parent in such a situation.

Alternatively, legally recognize and encourage friendship agreements between single people of the same sex as a valid way of organizing family life.”

- From “Less than Gay” a Citizens’ Report on the status of homosexuality in India published by ABVA in November 1991

 

The AIDS Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan – based in New Delhi, India – which spearheaded the gay rights movement since 1988-89 brought out this Citizens’ Report which summed up ABVA’s vision in the very first chapter ‘Why This Report’. Quote:

 

“… shouldn’t India be the focal point of a world-wide gay movement in the future?”

 

ABVA made the demand of same-sex marriage 12 years before any country in the G-20 group had legalised it! Canada did it in 2003-05.

 

It will only be apt – if belatedly though – same-sex marriage is legalised in India. The G-20 Summit 2023 Presidency that India presently holds could showcase the efforts of a non-funded, non-party organization like ABVA. G-20 countries which have legalised same-sex marriage must urge others to follow suit.

 

In a world facing economic recession, the act of legalizing same-sex marriage worldwide would unleash forces favorable to the ‘pink economy’. In India the LGBTQIA population is said to be 80 to 100 million and this could further boost the fastest growing economy in the world – to wit India. Who knows that the gains of the pink economy could be very significant even as raising of repo rates by central banks globally have reached a stage where scheduled banks are going bankrupt and inflation is still not under control and there is the added burden of economic recession.

 

 

Open Letter To Rahul Gandhi, Indian National Congress Party

 Respected Sir,

 

Through the Bharat Jodo Yatra – Kanyakumari to Kashmir – you have made meaningful contacts with the vast multitudes of people of India. Only rare politicians have had the urge and energy to undertake this pilgrimage.

 

You have rightly not allowed your time to be wasted in reciprocating to the name calling indulged in by the right wing forces inimical to you over the last 8 to 9 years. The name calling only reflects their utter insecurity; it is a phobia which haunts them particularly since you refuse to be drawn to their level of political discourse. This further infuriates them.

Hence their rhetoric ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’!

 

People recall that you and your family have personally and publicly forgiven the assassins of Mr. Rajiv Gandhi; so forgiving these name-callers comes naturally to you. The nation remembers the services and sacrifices of both Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Mr. Rajiv Gandhi who achieved martyrdom. These two examples symbolize highest form of nationalism. Equally true Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination resulted out of extreme abhorrence of secularism. 

 

The mentors of Indian National Congress include Jawaharlal Nehru who was in the forefront of the struggle for freedom from British colonial rule and was jailed for about 9 years. Your tormentors cannot come to terms with the fact that a right wing ideologue of majoritarian theocratic state wrote about half a dozen mercy petitions to the British rulers. Yes, indeed asking for mercy!

 

People of India remember how your mother sacrificed her imminent Prime Ministership in favour of Mr. Manmohan Singh. Presently the political environment in India needs an extraordinary sacrifice from you for a much higher calling by publicly announcing:

 

·        that you would not be the Indian National Congress candidate for Prime Ministership,

·        that you would spend all your energies till 2024 General Elections to try getting opposition parties to fight elections unitedly; that this united opposition will pitch only one candidate against the ruling party’s official aspirant in all constituencies of the country,

·        that a broad based committee having representatives from each of the political parties – howsoever small – would oversee that this process is set in motion and reaches its mandated conclusion, and

·        that the Indian National Congress party will exhibit an attitude which makes it clear that it is not bigger than any of the constituents of this united opposition.

 

Through your padyatra you have shown that in a democracy people are supreme. In consonance with the constitutional enunciation of “WE, THE PEOPLE …” sir, you have won the hearts of the people. Now ensure that their political energies are channelized in a direction which would ensure negation of one-party rule.

 

Yours Sincerely,

P. S. Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal

PIL Watch Group

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SPEAKER, LOK SABHA, PARLIAMENT OF INDIA Re. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

 Respected Sir,

 

In the case pending regarding same-sex marriage before the Supreme Court of India the Solicitor General has urged the court to let Parliament legislate on the issue – a long pending demand of LGBTQIA community.

 

May we request you to use your power to have a debate in Parliament on this issue of urgent public importance right in this budget session.

 

Let the Solicitor General’s solemn request be translated into actual action in Parliament.

 

Thanks,

Yours sincerely,

P.S. Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal

ABVA Collective