21 Mar 2014|Noida | Amity University Campus, Sector-125 Noida
Amity Law School, Delhi organises a day long National Debate Competition on “Should Homosexuality be Decriminalized in India”
Amity Law School (ALS), Delhi organized a day long National Debate Competition on “Should Homosexuality be Decriminalized in India” at Amity Campus, Sector- 125, Noida.
15 teams representing National Law Schools / Universities / Departments participated in the Competition including Lloyd College, Greater Noida; Siddhartha Law College, Dehradun; Army Law College, Mohali; University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun; Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi along with Amity Law School, Centre II.
Various rounds of the Debate Competition were adjudged by senior alumni of Amity Law School, Delhi who have brought laurels to the Institute in various Moot Court and Debating competitions.
The finals were contested amongst four teams- University School of Law and Legal Studies, IP University; University Institute of Legal Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh; Amity Law School, Delhi and University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun.
The team from Amity Law School , Noida was adjudged as “Winners” and the team from University School of Law and Legal Studies, IP University was declared the “Runners up”. Ms. Aiman Rizvi from Amity Law School was felicitated with “Best Speaker Award” and Ms. Bhavna Chaoudhary from Amity Law School, Delhi was awarded for “Best Interjection”.
Prof (Dr) B P Singh Sehgal –Director, Amity Law School, Delhi congratulated all the team members for presenting their viewpoints on such a sensitive topic in a very lucid and emphatic manner. He appreciated their topic research, oratory skills and articulation which he stressed was well reflected while they presenting their viewpoint. He called upon the budding lawyers from various institutions to master the art of presenting the best points emphatically during the stipulated time period, which would help them to become a good lawyer.
The participants exchanged numerous views for and against the topic. Few termed “Homosexuality” as a way of life, one’s own preference, and natural emotions, on the other hand, some participants denounced Homosexuality as unnatural aberration, a filthy import of western culture damaging the society, culture and youth of the country.
Ms. Nidhi Chitkara from University School of Law and Legal Studies, IP University, who spoke in favour of the topic, stressed that in a relationship love is paramount and every citizen of India has a right to live the life as he/she wants and choose the partner he/she likes. She opined that LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bi-sexuals and Transgenders), being citizens of India, are entitled to Right to equality, privacy and health. Raising a very pertinent question, she remarked that Homosexuals are neither damaging the society nor the citizens, then how can they be referred to as “criminals”.
Speaking against the topic, Ms. Shreya Mahajan from University School of Law and Legal Studies, IP University opined that the relationship between two homosexuals cannot lead to the institution of marriage since Marriage has always been a covenant between a man and a woman which is by its nature ordered toward the procreation of children and the unity and wellbeing of the spouses. She stressed that same sex marriages deny self-evident biological, physiological, and psychological differences between men and women which find themselves complementary in marriage. She also pointed out the health risks which are more likely to spread in homosexual relationships like transmission of HPV virus, which is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Mr. Sanjay Rana from University Institute of Legal Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, while sharing his views in favor of “Homosexuality being decriminalized in India” stressed that LGBT not an abnormal community; it is just a community with different social and physical needs. He remarked that we, Indians, are more comfortable watching two men holding guns but NOT two men holding hands.