Section 377: AIMPLB Takes U-turn, Says Homosexuality is ‘Injurious to Health’

The Muslim Board said it was disappointed with the government's decision of seeking Supreme Court's intervention in the matter and leaving it to the apex court to decide.

New Delhi, July 16: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) took a U-turn on its stand on the Section 377 and said it was in favour of the ban. The Board had previously opposed scrapping Section 377 in the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court. The Muslim Board said it was disappointed with the government’s decision of seeking Supreme Court’s intervention in the matter and leaving it to the apex court to decide.

Highlights

AIMPLB had previously opposed scrapping Section 377 in the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court.
The Muslim Law Board believes that the government should take a stand and contest the matter in the court.
AIMPLB added that it regrets the government's neutral stand.

Secretary of the Muslim Personal Law Board Zafaryab Jilani went on to add that homosexuality “is injurious to health” and suggested that the government should contest the matter in the court. Jilani said, “We support Section 377. Homosexuality is injurious for human health, it should remain a crime.”

He added, “The board expresses regret that the government has taken a neutral stand… The government should take a stand and contest the matter in Court.”

Earlier, another AIMPLB member Sayyed Qasim Rasool Ilyasi had argued the same and said, “We will become a party in the case and oppose the plea. Ilyasi had added that homosexuality is unethical and is against all religious faiths. He said that if homosexuality is legalised, it will create problems in the society.

Another AIMPLB member Yusuf Hatim Muchhala also ringed in similar sentiments and said that the Board had left the matter to the Supreme Court and it would not participate in the (Section) 377 proceedings, as per a report by NDTV.

After much controversy, the government left the decision to the Supreme Court on decriminalizing homosexuality. Following this, the Muslim Law Board had said they would not contest the matter altogether.

It must be noted that the court had earlier termed that protection of sexual orientation is a key part of fundamental right in its observations while hearing the matter in 2013.