For the first time ever, Anbumani Ramadoss is talking sense (albeit in a very restricted manner, since his only concern is HIV-AIDS) when he says “Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises men who have sex with men, must go”. But the article is wrong when it says “the Union Health Ministry on Friday favoured legalising homosexuality.”
There is a big difference between legalizing something and decriminalizing it. And the difference lies in the way these words relate to “rights”. Homosexuality, prostitution, discrimination by private parties, hate speech, use and sale of drugs and weapons, practice of a particular religion, non payment of compulsory levies etc are decriminalized. Murder, rape, theft, fraud etc are legalized. The first category of “offenses” don’t violate the rights of others. Those in the second category do. That is the essential difference.
Laws are meant to protect the “rights” of people, not restrict them based on the personal likes and dislikes of a whole bunch of others.
