Everyone has the right to … choose their life partner: Abhishek Banerjee on same-sex marriage
Trinamool’s senior leader and national general secretary on Thursday Abhishek Banerjee came out in clear support of same-sex marriage, amidst the raging debate on the issue arising from the Supreme Court of India’s hearing of a bunch of petitions asking for the court to legalise the same.
Amidst the Supreme Court’s hearing of petitions seeking legal recognition for same-sex marriage, Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Lok Sabha member of Parliament (MP) Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday voiced his strong support for the issue.
“India is a democratic country and everyone has got the right to choose their own life partner. Love has no religion, no boundaries and no limit. So, if I want to choose a life partner of my choice, if I am a man and I am fond of a man, if I am a woman and I am fond of a woman—whatever combination that is, no authority can make a comment on that,” he said.
“Everyone has the right to fall in love, select and choose their life partner. I am certain that the Supreme Court will rule in favour of democracy and the ethos that we take pride in and the diversity that unites India,” he added.
The issue has generated a lot of debate, both on and off the streets, among politicians, in bar associations and among the people in general.
The BJP-led Union government, represented in the Supreme Court hearings by Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, has argued that it is only Parliament that can make laws legalising new social relationships and that the petitioners do not represent the vice of the nation.
The Congress has no official view on the matter but some of its senior leaders have individually supported it, and so has the CPI(M). Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien might introduce a private members’ bill in the House during the next session of Parliament, according to some sources.
