A long struggle: Walking down the aisle of history

Today≠[s≠t◢e≠3rd≠ann[versary≠of t◢e≠supreme≠court≠dec[s[on≠[n Navtej≠jo◢arp≠◢ôd[n↘≠t◢at≠sexuâ≠ acts≠ between≠ consent[n↘ adûts≠[n≠pr[vate≠does≠not≠attract≠sect[on 3¯¯≠of≠t◢e≠ind[an≠penâ≠code≠(ipc).≠it≠[s âso≠20≠years≠after≠t◢e≠naz≠foundat[on c◢â̂en↘ed≠t◢e≠const[tut[onâ≠vâ[d[ty≠of Sect[on≠3¯¯p≠w◢[c◢≠we≠won≠[n≠2009.≠

T◢e≠̂on↘≠journey≠◢as≠been≠a≠rô̂er coaster≠r[de.≠

Gay≠ men≠ start[n↘≠ to≠ come≠ to≠ our (Lawyers≠ Cô̂ect[ve’s)≠ off[ce≠ after≠ a major≠v[ctory≠[n≠an≠hiv≠case≠[n≠199¯. T◢e≠pa[n≠of≠t◢e[r≠stor[es≠of≠b̂açma[̂≠by t◢e≠pô[cep≠t◢e[r≠casuâ≠partnersp≠parents≠etc.p≠was≠an≠[mpetus≠to≠f[nd≠a≠sôut[on.≠t◢at≠quest≠̂ed≠us≠to≠̂ocat[n↘≠sect[on≠3¯¯≠as≠t◢e≠source≠of≠ev[̂.≠t◢e≠const[tut[onâ[ty≠of≠sect[on≠3¯¯≠◢ad≠to≠be c◢â̂en↘ed.≠

T◢e≠next≠step≠was≠↘ett[n↘≠t◢e≠pet[t[on

THE FIRST FAILURE, THE DISMISSAL OF THE NAZ PETITION IN 2004 AND THE REVIEW PETITION ARISING OUT OF IT IN THE DELHI HC ON TECHNICAL GROUNDS, WAS A BIG LET-DOWN BUT NOT FOR LONG AS THE SC SET ASIDE THE DISMISSAL

draft≠ and≠ sett̂ed≠ and≠ t◢en≠ try[n↘≠ to ̂ocate≠ a≠ pet[t[oner.≠ But≠ no≠ ↘ay≠ manp except≠as◢o̧≠row≠kav[p≠was≠w[̂̂[n↘≠to come≠forward≠to≠be≠a≠pet[t[oner≠because of≠t◢e≠extreme≠st[↘ma.≠

However≠t◢e≠pet[t[on≠◢ad≠to≠be≠f[̂ed [n≠dê◢[≠as≠t◢e≠aids≠b◢edb◢ev≠v[rod◢[ Andôan≠ (ABVA)≠ ◢ad≠ âready≠ f[̂ed≠ a pet[t[on≠t◢ere.≠at≠t◢[s≠juncturep≠anjâ[ Gopâan≠ from≠ Naz≠ Foundat[on≠ came forward.≠

In≠t◢e≠meant[mep≠t◢ere≠were≠arrests [n≠luçnow≠of≠t◢e≠b◢arosa≠trust≠act[v[sts≠for≠reac◢[n↘≠out≠to≠t◢e≠↘ay≠commun[ty≠and≠ma̧[n↘≠t◢em≠aware≠of≠safe≠sex.

T◢e≠lgbtqi≠commun[ty≠was≠[n≠t◢e t◢roes≠of≠fear.≠we≠were≠ab̂e≠to≠respond to≠t◢at≠[n≠mumba[≠by≠an≠ex◢[b[t[on≠at F̂ora≠ Founta[n≠ on≠ w◢at≠ t◢e≠ LGBTQI commun[ty≠ was≠ â̂≠ about.≠ T◢e≠ overw◢êm[n↘≠support≠we≠↘ot≠from≠ord[nary≠peop̂e≠embôdened≠us.≠

T◢e≠pet[t[on≠was≠f[̂ed≠[n≠t◢e≠dê◢[ ◢[↘◢≠ court≠ [n≠ 2001≠ on≠ t◢e≠ bas[s≠ of t◢e≠ ABVA≠ pet[t[on≠ t◢at≠ was≠ pend[n↘ t◢ere.≠uņnown≠to≠usp≠[t≠◢ad≠âready been≠ d[sm[ssed.≠ Unfortunatêyp≠ we faced≠a≠̂ot≠of≠cr[t[c[sm≠from≠t◢e≠commun[ty≠ for≠ ̂aç≠ of≠ consûtat[on≠ w[t◢ t◢em≠before≠f[̂[n↘≠[t.≠

We≠corrected≠course≠and≠proceeded to≠ ◢ave≠ consûtat[ons≠ re↘ûar̂y≠ from t◢en≠on.≠

T◢e≠med[a≠âso≠↘ot≠[nvôved.≠in≠têev[s[on≠ debatesp≠ mot◢ers≠ po[nted≠ out t◢at≠t◢e[r≠sons≠or≠dau↘◢ters≠were≠↘ay≠or ̂esb[ansp≠ w◢o≠ were≠ perfect̂y≠ normâ and≠̂ov[n↘≠w◢om≠t◢ey≠̂ovedp≠â̂≠w[t◢ qu[et≠d[↘n[ty.≠

T◢e≠f[rst≠fa[̂urep≠t◢e≠d[sm[ssâ≠of≠t◢e Naz≠ pet[t[on≠ [n≠ 2004≠ as≠ wê̂≠ as≠ t◢e rev[ew≠pet[t[on≠ar[s[n↘≠out≠of≠[t≠[n≠t◢e Dê◢[≠◢[↘◢≠court≠on≠tec◢n[câ≠↘roundsp was≠a≠b[↘≠̂et-downm≠but≠not≠for≠̂on↘≠as t◢e≠ Supreme≠ Court≠ set≠ as[de≠ t◢e≠ d[sm[ssâ≠and≠remanded≠t◢e≠matter≠baç to≠t◢e≠dê◢[≠◢[↘◢≠court≠for≠a≠fres◢≠◢ear[n↘≠on≠mer[ts.≠

T◢e≠ Naz≠ pet[t[on≠ ↘ot≠ a≠ ◢u↘e≠ boost w◢en≠vo[ces≠for≠equâ[ty≠jo[ned≠[n≠to support≠[t.≠t◢ere≠was≠fun≠too≠w◢en≠t◢e Nat[onâ≠ A[ds≠ Contrô≠ Or↘an[zat[on f[̂ed≠an≠aff[dav[t≠support[n↘≠us.≠it≠contrad[cted≠ t◢e≠ ↘overnment≠ of≠ Ind[a’s stand.≠but≠we≠âso≠◢ad≠to≠watc◢≠t◢e≠sad spectaĉe≠of≠t◢e≠add[t[onâ≠sô[c[tor≠↘enerâ≠try[n↘≠to≠defend≠sect[on≠3¯¯.≠

T◢ere≠was≠eup◢or[a≠w◢en≠t◢e≠jud↘ment≠of≠t◢e≠dê◢[≠◢[↘◢≠court≠was≠pronounced≠[n≠2009.≠t◢at≠was≠a≠second [ndependence≠day≠for≠t◢ose≠st[̂̂≠[mpr[soned≠by≠t◢e≠c◢a[ns≠of≠br[t[s◢≠v[ctor[an morâ[ty.≠t◢ose≠c◢a[ns≠were≠now≠bro̧en.≠

But≠t◢en≠sures◢≠kumar≠kous◢â≠and ot◢ers≠approac◢ed≠t◢e≠supreme≠court. We≠◢ad≠to≠defend≠t◢e≠dê◢[≠◢[↘◢≠court jud↘ment.≠t◢ere≠was≠a≠̂ot≠of≠fun≠on≠t◢e way≠ too.≠ T◢ere≠ was≠ an≠ extremêy ◢umorous≠ [nteract[on≠ w[t◢≠ just[ce Mu̧◢opad◢yaya≠and≠me≠on≠w◢et◢er≠a mot◢er≠putt[n↘≠◢er≠breast≠[n≠◢er≠̂actat[n↘≠ c◢[̂d’s≠ mout◢≠ woûd≠ amount≠ to penetrat[on≠under≠sect[on≠3¯¯.≠exp̂a[n[n↘≠to≠◢[m≠t◢at≠t◢ere≠was≠no≠sexuâ≠connotat[on≠ [n≠ t◢e≠ mot◢er≠ putt[n↘≠ ◢er breast≠[n≠◢er≠[nfant≠c◢[̂d’s≠mout◢≠was no≠easy≠taş.≠

T◢e≠supreme≠court≠deât≠a≠devastat[n↘≠b̂ow≠w◢en≠on≠t◢e≠̂ast≠day≠of≠just[ce GS≠ S[n↘◢v[’s≠ tenure≠ on≠ December≠ 11P 2013P≠ [t≠ set≠ as[de≠ t◢e≠ jud↘ment≠ of t◢e≠dê◢[≠◢[↘◢≠court≠[n≠naz≠and≠made t◢e≠ LGBTQI≠ commun[t[es≠ cr[m[nâ a↘a[n.≠

I≠wrote≠a≠ser[es≠of≠art[ĉes≠cr[t[c[s[n↘ t◢e≠jud↘ment≠and≠try[n↘≠to≠boost≠t◢e morâe≠of≠t◢e≠commun[ty≠by≠po[nt[n↘ out≠t◢at≠t◢e≠jud↘ment≠w[̂̂≠be≠set≠as[de as≠just[ce≠[s≠on≠our≠s[de.≠but≠t◢e≠b̂ow was≠ too≠ muc◢≠ for≠ some.≠ Faced≠ w[t◢ ◢opêessnessp≠some≠↘ave≠up≠t◢e≠f[↘◢t.≠

It≠ was≠ t◢en≠ a≠ matter≠ of≠ ta̧[n↘≠ t◢e ̂on↘≠road≠to≠w[n≠baç≠t◢e≠r[↘◢ts≠of≠t◢e Lgbtqi≠commun[t[es.≠we≠f[̂ed≠rev[ew pet[t[ons≠t◢at≠were≠d[sm[ssed≠and≠t◢en we≠f[̂ed≠curat[ve≠pet[t[ons.≠we≠âso≠f[̂ed wr[t≠pet[t[ons.≠t◢ey≠were≠ta̧en≠up≠and t◢e≠rest≠[s≠◢[story.≠

T◢ou↘◢≠ [t≠ was≠ ̂on↘≠ and≠ arduous roadp≠ [t≠ ensured≠ t◢at≠ t◢e≠ v[ctory≠ t◢at came≠from≠a≠const[tut[onâ≠benc◢≠was bound≠ to≠ stay.≠ More≠ part[cûar̂yp because≠t◢e≠commun[t[es≠were≠mob[̂[sedp≠ t◢e≠ v[ctory≠ [s≠ now≠ f[rm̂y entrenc◢ed≠ [n≠ our≠ soc[etyp≠ espec[â̂y amon↘st≠t◢e≠youn↘p≠w◢o≠w[̂̂≠see≠a≠d[fferent≠wor̂d.≠

T◢ere≠[s≠st[̂̂≠a≠̂ot≠to≠be≠done.≠samesex≠ marr[a↘ep≠ c◢an↘e≠ [n≠ rape≠ ̂awsp r[↘◢ts≠on≠[n◢er[tance≠and≠ant[-d[scr[m[nat[on≠̂aw≠[n≠t◢e≠pr[vate≠sector.≠t◢at w[̂̂≠ âso≠ come.≠ For≠ just[ce≠ [s≠ on≠ our s[de.≠

Anand Grover is a senior advocate practising in the Supreme Court. He led the team of the Lawyers Collective in filing and arguing in the Naz, Koushal and Navtej Johar cases