‘Gay or straight, all have right to marry’

It was couples chronicles and cake cutting at the Humsafar Trust in Vakola Santacruz East on Wednesday evening The Trust a gay communitybased organisation established in the 90s played host to a celebration of the fifthyear anniversary of the reading down of Section 377 The section was a colonialera law that criminalised consensual sex between two samesex adultsCerebral partyThe meeting was a mix of celebrations with the cerebral While there were good memories associated with the reading down of Section 377 there was also the inevitable question about the community awaiting a Supreme Court verdict after hearing a bunch of petitions seeking legal recognition of samesex marriagesDiscussionThe panel discussion was dexterously anchored by a moderator Alpana Dange who said ldquoThere is also my safar in Humsafar I am an ally for gay rights and when Section 377 was read down so many persons called me and said congratulations tum jeet gayi congratulations you have wonrdquo Kartikey Bahadur consultant lawyer Humsafar Trust said at the outset ldquoI thought Section 377 has been read down but after that what The community cannot stop here I think everybody gay or straight must have the right to get married whether they wish to do so or not is not the question It is about having the legal right to do so and that is what this is aboutrdquoAuthorityCouple Sridhar Rangayan and Saagar Gupta Supreme Court petitioners for marriage equality first spoke about meeting in 1994 on the Vakola bridge and then being together for 29 years Rangayan said ldquoOur relationship has been held together by love We have not had any ceremony like exchanging rings we do not want a grand marriage ceremony Karan Joharstyle but we do want rights Tomorrow if I fall ill Saagar cannot sign hospital papers for any critical decisionsrdquo Saagar said the same that ldquoGrowing old together may be romantic but we need the authority to sign on medical papers these are realitiesrdquoAlso read Supreme Court grants interim protection to Editors Guild membersPetitioner couple Dr Roop and Neil spoke about family acceptance Dr Roop said ldquoIn marriage by default the spouse gets certain rights In this relationship we do not automatically tick mark all those boxes We also want those rights like being able to open bank accounts jointlyrdquoDr Surabhi and her partner Paromita are also petitioners for marriage equality Dr Surabhi joined via video conferencing The women had a commitment ceremony Dr Surabhi said ldquoWe had to file the petition We have to change the thinking of India If we all leave India because these rights are available in certain countries overseas how will India ever change We must not leave the country only because of this aspectrdquoFull rightsThe discussion touched deeply upon families too showing that partners care for each otherrsquos families contrary to stereotypical thinking In the end the picture was that equality is above all Most concurred that ldquoWe do not want just civil partnership rights but full marriage equality and the battle will not stop at just thatrdquo ended the interactive meet that scored because the mix of personal with the political its humour and honesty The mood was upbeat as a cake was cut and the song especially apt for the occasion lsquoCongratulations and celebrations when I tell everyone that yoursquore in love with mehelliprsquo played in the background A lighthearted verdict lsquoForget dating apps Bumble or Tinderhellip go to Vakola bridgersquo was pronounced amidst laughter and applause like a final flourish on a thoughtprovoking signature