NDA strong, united in Bihar: Shah
BJP prez meets JD- U chief Nitish twice in a day, claims no ‘ friction’
Playing down reports of differences with allies, BJP president Amit Shah met Bihar chief minister and JU( U) chief twice in Patna on Thursday and rejected speculation of alleged rift, saying that the NDA is strong and confident of winning all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
“All speculation in this regard — about differences and infighting over seat sharing — is unfounded and nothing of that sort will happen,” said Mr Shah after a 50minute breakfast meeting with Mr Kumar in the morning at state guest house and followed it up with another round of talks over dinner at the chief minister’s residence.
Sources claimed Mr Shah assured Mr Kumar that the BJP will respect the JD( U)’ s senior partner status in Bihar and settle the 2019 seat allocation between allies amicably at the earliest.
In a veiled reference to attempts by the Opposition parties, including the Congress, to create a rift between the BJP and the JD( U), Mr Shah said, “You can continue to speculate but we will contest together and win all the 40 seats.”
Political analysts are of the opinion that Thursday’s meal diplomacy was crucial for the BJP to send a message to the cadres on grounds that there is no trouble within the NDA.
While referring to some of the earlier statements made by leaders of the Grand Secular Alliance against the BJP- JD( U) relationship in Bihar, Mr Shah, at a rally of party workers in Patna, said, “Nitish Kumar returned to the NDA fold because he couldn’t continue with corrupt people. The BJP is the only party which respects its alliance partners. The NDA, including Nitish Kumar’s party JD( U), is intact and we are confident that the NDA will win all 40 seats in Bihar and Narendra Modi will return as Prime Minister.”
The cameras caught Mr Shah and Mr Kumar smiling and bonding during their meetings. This is Mr Shah’s first visit to the state since the dramatic political realignment last year when Mr Kumar walked out of the Grand Secular Alliance, which included the RJD and Congress, and returned to the NDA.
Over recent months, leaders from the JD( U) and the BJP, both partners in the Bihar government, have issued statements about seat- sharing for the 2019 elections. Each party wants to project itself as the “big brother” in the alliance and contest the larger number of seats. Last week, the chief minister had said that all attempts to marginalise his party will fail.
Mr Kumar had also maintained that his party will take a final call on seat- sharing after seeing what the BJP has to offer, triggering speculation
of the Constitution.” Justice Chandrachud said, “Over the years, we have created an environment in the Indian society which has led to deep- rooted discrimination against people of same sex involved in a consensual relationship and this has impacted their mental health also.”
“The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, also recognises that sexual orientation should not be grounds for discrimination,” he added.
Justice Malhotra said that due to their sexual orientation members of the LGBTQ, they are discriminated against even in availing healthcare.
“This community feels inhibited as they do not even get proper medical care because of the prejudice,” Justice Malhotra said, adding even medical professionals do not maintain confidentiality with regard to their LGBTQ patients.
“Family and society pressure forces gay persons to get married and that could be the reason for them to become bi- sexuals. Due to the criminality attached to same sex relationships, there are various other ramifications,” she said.
Justice Malhotra said that “prakriti” ( nature) and “vikriti” ( abnormality) existed together in nature and there are hundreds of species which indulge in same sex intercourse.
Shyam Diwan, senior advocate began his argument stating that the time has come to declare “right to intimacy” as a part of “right to life” under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Additional solicitor- general Tushar Mehta intervened and said reference to “prakriti” and “vikriti” in Hindu philosophical texts is related to philosophical and spiritual spheres and must not be dragged to link it to sexuality or homosexuality.
He said the bench should steer clear of the matters of religion and confine its discussion to the constitutionality and legality of Section 377.
The CJI said, “We are not concerned with bestiality, incest or related issues but only with the constitutional validity of Section 377 of IPC as far as it concerns sexual orientation of LGBTQ community members. We will not go into other issues.”
Manoj George, lawyer appearing for two Christian associations, opposed the plea of the petitioners seeking to strike down Section 377, and submitted that the Central government has taken a U- turn by leaving it to the “wisdom of the Supreme Court” the decision on the constitutionality of Section 377.
Even as Mr Mehta refuted this, the bench replied that irrespective of the “concession” offered by the Central government, validity of Section 377 would still have to be decided on the anvils of judicial pronouncements and constitutional norms.