BENGALURU:On the evening of September 6 2018, Delhi witnessed a heavy downpour. The rains, however, could not dampen the spirits of the several thousands of people from India and the world, who were party to one of the most iconic moments in India’s history. It was almost like the skies decided to join the LGBTQ community and all its allies in a celebratory cry of joy on this momentous occasion.
At Ashoka University, where I currently work and study, a meeting was organised by the student body and one of the speakers who was invited to address the huge crowd that had gathered was Pulapre Balakrishnan, professor of Economics at Ashoka and a prominent gay rights activist. Terming the landmark verdict ‘a positive blow for Indian democracy’, he went on to talk about three significant points regarding the long-drawn fight that set the Indian movement apart from the rest of the world. They resonated with me deeply.
First, he speaks about how the LGBTQ community has fought and ‘earned’ this right through sustained efforts on the ground. Unlike several other countries where the community’s victories came through legislation, in India’s case, activists and organisations across the country saw success this September through sustained solidarity demanding the striking down of Section 377.
Second, Balakrishnan talks about the overwhelming participation and presence of the youth, and women in particular, in this movement. He believes the involvement of so many women in the Indian struggle for LGBTQ rights has made the fight a little more ‘joyous’. The energy on campus in the morning was palpable. Students missed classes in large numbers in order to gather in the cafeteria and common rooms to watch the judgment live on television. The celebrations were ecstatic and emotional.
Third, he thanks the Indian media for its ‘extraordinary’ support. It is now almost a year since I unexpectedly became an overnight online celebrity. At the Delhi pride parade, I carried a poster that read, “Shashi Tharoor, Marry Me?!” and these images went viral. Thereafter, the story received extensive coverage on news platforms, television channels, radio stations and so on. My personal anecdote apart, by and large, the media not only did justice to the movement while covering it but also actively supported it.
As far as sexual rights of citizens are concerned, India has finally entered the 21st century. The battle against hate, discrimination and bigotry and for love, equality and acceptance is however, still on. Eventually, victory is on our side. The idea of India shall prevail.
The author is a Bengalurean who is now pursuing a masters degree in Political Science at Ashoka University