Subramaniam Swamy and Shashi Tharoor go way back. In fact, the two banter more than any husband and wife would, though indirectly, taking a healthy help from the mics of the paparazzi who find their own guilty pleasure in extracting their views about each other. 6th September was the day that would go down in history for hailing human rights like never before, as the honourable Supreme Court scrapped the ancient Section 377 and upheld gay rights. While a section rejoiced, another was grumpy. And not surprisingly, Shashi and Swamy were again at loggerheads as they upheld views that were in stark contrast.
Tharoor, the 'cool' literate politician for Gen X, has always been the one to uphold the freedom and rights of an individual. He was forever in support of scrapping the colonial section, and quite unsurprisingly, expressed the same after the decision of the Supreme Court. "This decision vindicates my stand on Section 377 & on exactly the same grounds of privacy, dignity & constitutional freedoms. It shames those BJP MLAs who vociferously opposed me in LS (Lok Sabha)," said the Congress minister.
Not the one to stay quiet, Subramaniam Swamy had a starkly opposing view on the matter. The BJP minister came up with his own version of opposing the SC decision and stated that the legalisation of gay s*x will increase HIV cases and social evils would be on the rise. "Of course what happens in someone's private life should not be of anyone's concern, neither they should be punished. It is basically a genetic disorder, like someone having six fingers. Medical research must be done to rectify it," Swamy quoted to ANI.
"It is the American game. Soon there will be gay bars where homosexuals can go. HIV will spread. So, after looking at the consequences I hope the next government will move the 7 judge bench to set aside this 5 judge bench order," he added.
Swamy has forever snubbed Tharoor and vice versa. Remember when earlier in the year, Tharoor had said in an interview that if BJP comes into power in 2019, India would be in a condition to become a Hindu Pakistan, owing to the radical religious forces that are way too active? Of course, Swamy had come forward and aggressively condemned the same, going on to state that Tharoor needs 'medical help'. Swamy was also the one to come up with all sorts of derogatory remarks when Tharoor was granted bail in the Sunanda Pushkar case. The BJP minister had gone on to say that Tharoor won't be able to meet his girlfriends abroad.
Well, no matter what the views, opposing or on the same side, we are glad that the section has been scrapped. As for Tharoor and Swamy, doesn't look like this is a battle that would cease anytime soon. So, let's just sit back and observe the ball of words bounce in the two courts.
Kadambari Srivastava September 07 2018, 2.27 pm