Arun Jaitley on Section 377 verdict: Disagree with SC observation that sexuality is part of free speech

Pointing that the court's observation called for debate, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "How then do you restrain any sexual activity in army frontier, school hostel."

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: October 6, 2018 02:45 PM IST

2 min read

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2018 in the national capital. (File Photo)

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said he disagreed with the Supreme Court’s judicial view on Section 377 that sexuality is a part of free speech. “I disagree with the judicial view in the apex court judgment that sexuality is a part of free speech,” the minister said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2018 in the national capital.

While decriminalising gay sex last month, the SC had said, “Sexual orientation of an individual is natural and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a violation of Freedom of Expression.”

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“That is a little excessive,” the Union minister said. Stating that the SC’s observation calls for debate, Jaitley added, “How then do you restrain any sexual activity in army frontier, school hostel.”

While responding to a question on his views on the recent verdict on Section 377 by the apex court, the minister said, “The court had taken into account a lot of views but sometimes, you get carried away while making these historical judgments,” he said, adding, “The SC judgment on Section 377 is a part of a sustained campaign for social reform.”

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