LGBT community protest in Delhi

Activists and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community Sunday held a protest here against the Supreme Court ruling, demanding restoration of the ban on gay sex.

Holding placards and banners that read "we are not criminals" and "loving another human being is not an offence", the protesters, comprising members of LGBT community, their families, female sex workers, and women's groups, demanded the judgment be repealed immediately.

"We strongly protest this verdict against personal liberty and human rights," said Anjan Joshi, founder member of Society for Peoples' Awareness, Care and Empowerment (SPACE) which organised the protest.

"We are getting a lot of support from outside the community. The government and judiciary should take note of this," Joshi told IANS.

According to SPACE, a week-long protest will be held in Delhi at half-a-dozen more locations to put pressure on the government.

"We have erected a pillar of protest and people who support us can tie a thread to register their protest. The pillar will travel with us at all the locations and will finally be presented to Law Minister Kapil Sibal at the end of the campaign," said Joshi.

The apex court Dec 11 upheld Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that bans gay sex, reversing the Delhi High Court's 2009 order which observed the section violated the rights of LGBT people.