NEW DELHI: A section of students of Delhi University on Wednesday held a Pride vigil at the arts faculty to voice disappointment at the Supreme Court judgment that has refused to legally recognise same-sex marriage and said only Parliament could act on the matter.
The vigil, held by the Student Federation of India (SFI) and the All-India Students’ Association (AISA), had students holding placards that said, “Marriage equality is a right, not a privilege “and “A right delayed is a right denied”.
The gathering against the judgment, which dashed the hopes of millions of LGBTQ+ people seeking marriage equality, attracted about 100 people.
Anan, a member of SFI and queer sub-committee member, told TOI: “The time for excuses is over. We have a model before us to emulate. Cuba has poverty higher than India. Still, queer couples have the right to marriage and adoption…. India has gone far in hosting the G20 Summit and asserting its global presence but is yet to grant queer couples the rights and privileges available to heterosexual couples.”
Mehina Fathima, a college student, said: “We had a lot of hope, given the chief justice of India’s progressive views about the matter.”
In its statement, SFI said the judgment “talks about a higher committee to examine concerns of same-sex couples, but no timeline or direction or clarity on the composition of this committee is provided”.
“Parliament has failed to even implement the previous directives in the NALSA judgment and Navtej Singh Johar judgment. It has failed a big section of the LGBTQIA+ community,” the SFI added.
The gathering was addressed by a 24-year-old trans, queer and disability rights activist Krishanu, who is a researcher and sociologist by training. “No civil union and no adoption rights for queer couples, just some decorative language to posture as progressive,” Krishanu said.
He added that the judgment was akin to saying that “you deserve all of this, but you should go ask someone else to give it to you who, you know, will not give it to you.”
He, however, highlighted that the directions to police on handling cases involving queer people with sensitivity was much-needed.
Anjali, the AISA DU secretary, said the outfit would continue its struggle for queer liberation and gender sensitisation on campuses.
The vigil, held by the Student Federation of India (SFI) and the All-India Students’ Association (AISA), had students holding placards that said, “Marriage equality is a right, not a privilege “and “A right delayed is a right denied”.
The gathering against the judgment, which dashed the hopes of millions of LGBTQ+ people seeking marriage equality, attracted about 100 people.
Anan, a member of SFI and queer sub-committee member, told TOI: “The time for excuses is over. We have a model before us to emulate. Cuba has poverty higher than India. Still, queer couples have the right to marriage and adoption…. India has gone far in hosting the G20 Summit and asserting its global presence but is yet to grant queer couples the rights and privileges available to heterosexual couples.”
Mehina Fathima, a college student, said: “We had a lot of hope, given the chief justice of India’s progressive views about the matter.”
In its statement, SFI said the judgment “talks about a higher committee to examine concerns of same-sex couples, but no timeline or direction or clarity on the composition of this committee is provided”.
“Parliament has failed to even implement the previous directives in the NALSA judgment and Navtej Singh Johar judgment. It has failed a big section of the LGBTQIA+ community,” the SFI added.
The gathering was addressed by a 24-year-old trans, queer and disability rights activist Krishanu, who is a researcher and sociologist by training. “No civil union and no adoption rights for queer couples, just some decorative language to posture as progressive,” Krishanu said.
He added that the judgment was akin to saying that “you deserve all of this, but you should go ask someone else to give it to you who, you know, will not give it to you.”
He, however, highlighted that the directions to police on handling cases involving queer people with sensitivity was much-needed.
Anjali, the AISA DU secretary, said the outfit would continue its struggle for queer liberation and gender sensitisation on campuses.