New Delhi: In a country where talking about sex is considered taboo, voicing opinions on homosexuality is nothing short of inviting trouble.
However, celebrated writer Vikram Seth does not seem to think so.
He has always been outspoken in his criticism of the legal interpretation of homosexuality in India.
"I have written about sexuality in my works and I strongly feel that one should not have qualms about revealing one's sexuality. It not only gives courage to the individual but also to the family", he says.
Seth — whose novel Two Lives continues its reign as number one non-fiction favourite — says the idea of suppressing sexuality is cruel because it makes people go through intolerable pain and self-doubt.
"It's harmful because today, it is a health problem and it forces people to go underground," he says.
Although the British were the first to introduce a law against homosexuality in 1860, though they did away with it in 1967.
However, the law still continues to be enforced in India.
"The laws that have been taken from British are not Indian and should be changed. It's silly to keep following British laws because their rule ended over 58 years ago," he says.
"And incidentally, the British themselves have changed their laws", he adds.
Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code makes all kinds of unnatural sex, including homosexuality, a punishable offence.
However, activists argue that by violating what is a consensual act, the law violates the right to privacy and discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation.
"Laws are not meant to police people who cause no harm to others. This law is a barbarous law and sooner it is off our books, the better. I'll not appreciate being a criminal in my own country", says Seth.
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