Gay Rights: Ramadoss's views disowned by Govt.

Govt to HC: Ignore Ramadoss' views on allowing gay sex 30 Sep 2008, 0337 hrs IST,TNN

NEW DELHI: Stung by criticism of its casual approach to the sensitive issue of gay rights, the Central government on Monday distanced itself from NACO's affidavit and even went to the extent of asking Delhi high court to "ignore" health minister Anbumani Ramadoss's statement favouring scrapping of Section 377.  "No act of Parliament can be struck down due to an affidavit or a minister's statement," additional solicitor general P P Malhotra told HC, saying since Parliament passed a law criminalizing homosexuality, it represented the "will of the people of this country." "It doesn't matter what the minister says. It is also not important what the affidavit says. It is for the court to decide the issue," Malhotra said before a bench headed by Chief Justice A P Shah adding that the Centre is against decriminalization of gay sex.  more