Same-sex marriages destroy the institutions of ‘family’: Eminent citizens write to President

A group of former judges and IPS officers have written a letter to President Draupadi Murmu against the legalisation of non-heterosexual marriages in India.

They have urged the President to intervene in "saving Indian cultural traditions, religious tenets, and social values".

"...If we revise the law to make same-sex sexual union rational, acceptable or moral, it will open the doors to same-sex sexual culture. Our society and culture do not accept same-sex behavioural institution because it is offensive to our values, besides being irrational and unnatural..," reads the letter signed by a total of 104 ex-bureaucrats and 16 former judges.

They say same-sex relationships cannot create long-term or stable institutions. "If they are allowed to adopt children, they can't maintain stable and long-lasting relationships with their families, parents, relatives and partners. The health and future of such children will be severely compromised," the open letter further reads.

The eminent personalities stated that the issue is being considered by the constitution bench of the Supreme Court and has become a "rallying point" for some "typical pseudo liberals" who are already "divorced" from Indian values under the bogey of "progressive and liberated thinking."

The letter pointed out that the recognition of same-sex marriages would "change the entire gamut of all personal laws, from marriage to adoption and succession."

"India cannot afford that its future generations live in such an atmosphere, which surely will produce more gays and lesbians, and tear apart and destroy the institutions of 'family' and 'society' irreparably. They won't know about their parents, ancestors, culture, religious tenets and age-old values," reads the letter.

Some of the signatories are: former shipping secretary Gopal Krishan, former home secretary L C Goyal, retired Allahabad HC judge Kamleshwar Nath, retired Rajasthan HC judge RS Rathore, retired Bombay HC judge V G Bisht, former CAG Rajiv Mehrishi, former Maharashtra DGP Praveen Dixit, and former UP DGP Prakash Singh.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court is currently hearing a batch of petitions which seek to legalise same-sex marriages. The pleas are being heard by a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud in reference to the Special Marriage Act of 1954, which allows couples to register marriage, if they cannot marry under personal laws.

The Centre has vehemently opposed the petitions and also questioned the maintainability of the same. It has termed such demands as 'urban elite' views.

The next date of hearing has been fixed for May 3.