Modi supporter American Hindu group opposes SC’s gay sex ruling, US govt ‘concerned’

The US on Wednesday voiced concern about a ruling by the Supreme Court of India which reinstated a colonial-era ban on gay sex that could see same-sex lovers

LGBT activists protest against Supreme Court's verdict on homosexuality, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (PTI PHOTO)

Members of LGBT community react after the judgement of Supreme Court against the section 377 in Mumbai, India.(Photo by Satish Bate / Hindustan Times)

LGBT activists protest against the Supreme Court verdict which validated the section 377 of IPC, in Mumbai. (PTI PHOTO)

Indian sexual minority community members participate in a Rainbow Pride Walk in Kolkata. (AFP PHOTO)

An Indian sexual minority community member gestures over a rainbow flag while participating in a Rainbow Pride Walk in Kolkata. (AFP PHOTO)

LGBT activists protest against Supreme Court's verdict on homosexuality, in New Delhi. (PTI PHOTO)

An LGBT activist reacts after the Supreme Court's verdict on homosexuality at the Supreme Court lawn in New Delhi. (PTI PHOTO)

Activists of LGBT community react after Supreme Court's verdict on homosexuality, in Mumbai. (PTI PHOTO)

An LGBT activist reacts after the Supreme Court's verdict on homosexuality at the Supreme Court lawn in New Delhi. (PTI PHOTO)

LGBT activists burst balloons during protest against the Supreme Court verdict which validated the section 377 of IPC, in Mumbai. (PTI PHOTO)

Members of LGBT community react after the judgement of Supreme Court against the section 377 in Mumbai.

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The Hindu American Foundation, a small but increasingly influential supporter of Narendra Modi, became a surprising opponent of SC’s turnaround on gay sex.

It joined many pro-gay rights groups in the US and in India to condemn the apex court’s decision overturning a lower court’s order decriminalizing homosexuality.

"No law should interfere in a consensual relationship of two individuals behind closed doors," said the foundation’s director of public policy Harsh Voruganti."

Why SC order criminalising gay sex is being trashed

"We had hoped that the Indian Supreme Court would have upheld the lower court's progressive decision."

The foundation supports BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, and successfully lobbied against a congressional resolution against him recently.

The state department also opposed the ruling, reluctantly expressing concern under persistent questioning.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, "We oppose any action that criminalises consensual same-sex conduct between adults in general around the world."

Asked what she specifically thought about the Indian Supreme Court decision, she said, "Any action that criminalises consensual same-sex conduct between adults that doesn’t recognise that fundamental freedoms of people include their right to sexual orientation – those are issues that we certainly would be concerned about, as we are here."

Courtesy:hindustantimes dot com

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Hindu group proposes monument at Oklahoma State Capital

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  A statue of Hindu Lord Hanuman, such as this one, is being proposed for a state Capitol monument. AP file
  

Just days after the news broke that a Satanic Temple in New York City is seeking to build a monument to Satan on the grounds of the Oklahoma Capitol, a Hindu organization announced this week that it, too, would like to build a monument there, to one of its chief deities.
Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, emailed his request to the Oklahoma State Capitol Preservation Commission.

Zed, of Nevada, said in a press release that Hindus want to erect a statue of Lord Hanuman, a Hindu deity "who was greatly revered and worshipped and known for incredible strength and was (a) perfect grammarian."

He said the statue would raise awareness of Oklahomans about Hinduism.

Commission Chairman Trait Thompson, who also is a senior policy adviser for Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman, said he had received the request from Zed and had referred him to the website, which has all the application forms.

"I suppose when one group gets some publicity, everyone else wants to make their point," he said.

Is there any chance a Hindu statue will be built at the Capitol?

"I can't speak for the commission," Thompson said.

"If they follow through and put forth a good application, it will be voted on. It's hard to say. There are a lot of factors."

The commission was formed in 1982 to oversee the preservation and restoration of the Oklahoma State Capitol building, and later, the Governor's Mansion. As controller of the public display of art objects there, it recently oversaw the installation of a Ten Commandments monument at the Capitol.

Hari Musapeta, spokesman for the Hindu Temple of Greater Tulsa, said he had not heard of Zed or the Universal Society of Hinduism.

He said he would "need to learn about the man and the organization," before commenting on the application.

He was familiar, however, with Lord Hanuman, which he described as "a powerful god, the No. 1 Hindu deity after Lord Rama."

He said Tulsa has some 5,000 to 8,000 Hindu families, many of them professional people from India.

Zed declined an interview, and said everything he was prepared to say was in the press release.

According to his website, he is an Indo-American and Hindu statesman who gave the first Hindu opening prayer in the U.S. Senate, was invited by the president of the European Parliament to a meeting in Brussels to discuss Hindu issues, and has delivered prayers at several state legislatures.

Several Oklahoma lawmakers responded negatively to the request by a Satanic Temple to put a monument to Satan at the Capitol. The request apparently was in response to the recent installation of the Ten Commandments monument.

Bill Sherman 918-581-8398

bill.sherman@tulsaworld.com

courtesy:tulsaworld dot com

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