The findings of the Washington-based think tank Pew Research Centre suggests that a large portion of the Indian population may not be against the idea of same sex marriage, despite Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre opposing petitions filed in Supreme court to direct the government to allow registration of same-sex marriages.
SC rejects Central Government Claims
“Indian notion of marriage” “necessarily and inevitably presupposes a union” between a biological man and a biological woman exclusively, the Modi government had opposed the petitions. In addition, to that the central government also opposed it saying it reflects “urban elitist views for the purpose of social acceptance”. However the claims were rejected by Supreme Court as mere assertions which is not backed by data.
According to the results of the Spring 2023 Global Attitudes Survey, which were made public on Tuesday, roughly 53% of Indians supported the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
Despite falling under the “most religious countries” category, India is also among the top three nations when it comes to the proportion of the population that supports legalising same-sex marriage. The approval of same-sex marriage was often lower in nations where a higher number of respondents claimed that religion was important to them.
The Modi government contended that the institution of marriage has a sanctity associated to it and is viewed as a “sacrament, a holy union, and a sanskar” and this relation is “Socially, culturally, and legally ingrained” between a man and woman throughout India in an affidavit presented to the Supreme Court in March.
The Central Government claimed that because the institution of marriage is “deeply embedded in religious and societal norms,” the court should refrain from altering or weakening it through judicial interpretation.
Survey conducted on 3,500 Americans And 27,000 non-US residents
Last month, the Supreme Court reserved decision on the petitions to make same-sex marriages legal in India. 3,500 Americans and more than 27,000 non-US residents participated in the Spring 2023 Global Attitudes Survey conducted in March of this year. At least 51% of respondents in 15 of the 24 nations voted in favour of legalising same-sex marraiges.
Also Read: What is Pakistan Upto? Pakistani Drone Recovered In Punjab’s Tarn Taran, Third Within A Week
