India is a conservative country that camouflages its regressive norms with the help of ‘culture’. That’s why people will accept archaic concepts like dowry, casteism or triple talaq, but will look the other way when it comes to love between two people of the same gender. However, thankfully our Supreme Court is considerably progressive and has urged our country to be the same by decriminalising homosexuality on 6th September. And a Kerala High Court has upheld that decision.
According to The News Minute, a lesbian couple, Rija and Runa (names changed for anonymity), faced a difficult situation after one of them revealed to their parents that they were in a relationship. Rija said,
“We met over an online site for lesbians and fell in love.”
Considering how the couple was in love, they decided to move in together during a time when Section 377 wasn’t struck down. And while it was for Rija to let her family know about her relationship, things went sideways when Runa, who comes from a remote place in Neyyatinkara, Thiruvananthapuram, did the same. Rija’s lawyer, Advocate KK Preetha said,
“After Runa informed her family, they went to the Neyyatinkara police station with a missing person complaint. The couple then got a call from the police station to present themselves at the station.”
The couple did arrive at the Parassala police station, who took them down to the Neyyatinkara court. However, Preetha told BBC, that the situation got hostile not inside, but outside the court,
“The court set her free on 14 August. But the minute she came out of the court, she and her partner were manhandled and the younger woman (Runa) was taken away. They admitted her to a mental institution in Thiruvananthapuram.”
Rija maintained contact with Runa through messages and even tried to visit her twice at the hospital. However, Runa’s family took her away from there and severed communication soon after.
After receiving no news about Runa, Rija finally filed a Habeas Corpus at the High Court last week, which required Runa to make an appearance. And with her advocates and fellow community members, Rija arrived at the court.
“I went with a 50-50 feeling, but trusting that Runa would say yes, she would want to come with me.”
And Runa said exactly that when the court asked her who she wanted to go with. Preetha says,
“When Runa said she wants to go with the petitioner (Rija) the court gave the verdict in favour of them, in light of the recent declaration by the Supreme Court against section 377.”
And just like that love saw another day in the Sun thanks to the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement and the Kerala High Court’s decision to uphold it. When asked how she feels after all this, Rija said,
“No, I am not afraid they would attack us again. That was their place, and the attack was sudden. We were not expecting it. Now they are not going to harm us here. We hope to get married too, one day soon.”
We hope they do as well.
BBC says that “despite the landmark Supreme Court verdict, many people in the country remain opposed to same-sex relationships”. However, that’s probably just the previous generation who are fighting tooth and nail to keep their place in the society. Because going by the overwhelming reaction on social media, the younger generation accepts love in every shape and size. And with pragmatic lawyers and judges on our side, we can expect to hear many more heartfelt judgements like this.