The pen is mightier than the sword

It seems the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community has been inspired by Sanjay Dutts character (Munnabhai) in the super hit film Lage Raho Munnabhai. Just as how Munnabhai urges people to send flowers to individuals to rethink their decisions in the movie, the LGBT community has also decided to write letters to the Supreme Court to review its judgement about section 377. Last December, the Supreme Courts judgement on section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was met with large scale protests across the country. File Pic It might be recalled the SC revoked the Delhi High Courts 2009 landmark judgement on section 377 on December 11, 2013. The community has decided that rather than shooting off e-mails or signing online petitions, they will write letters to the SC and urge their supporters to do the same. The Humsafar Trust has already kept envelopes at its office and is asking people who visit their office to write letters. Not only this, many LGBT activists have already written the letters and have posted them on their Facebook pages. Pictures of handwritten letters have also been put up on the website 377letters.orinam.net. At Humsafar Trust we have kept more than 100 envelopes. We are asking people from various places who are visiting our office to write letters to the SC. We should let the SC know how strongly we feel about the subject and compel it to abolish section 377, said Sibi Mathen of the Humsafar Trust. Activists claim that the letters to the SC are being sent from various parts of the country too. This is not the first time that Indian citizens are writing letters to make the SC rethink its decision. In 1997, one DK Basu had written a letter to the SC that prompted the court to lay down important guidelines that should be followed while arresting a person and the rights of an arrested person. There are two review petitions with the Supreme Court, one by the government and the other by Naaz foundation. We expect the letters that we are sending to the SC will also be considered, said equal rights activist, Harrish Iyer.