Congress calls SC verdict on Section 377 'momentous', says it is an important step towards liberal society

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday hailed as “momentous” the Supreme Court verdict decriminalising consensual gay sex and termed it as an important step forward towards a liberal and tolerant society. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the age-old colonial law was an anachronism in today’s modern times and the verdict restores the fundamental rights and negates discrimination based on sexual orientation. [caption id=“attachment_5129281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  An activist waves a rainbow flag (LGBT pride flag) after the Supreme Court verdict which decriminalises consensual gay sex, on Thursday. PTI[/caption] “Supreme Court verdict on Section 377 is momentous. “An age-old colonial law, that was an anachronism in today’s modern times, ends restoring the fundamental rights and negating discrimination based on sexual orientation. It’s an important step forward towards a liberal, tolerant society,” he said on Twitter. On its official Twitter handle, the Congress said, “We join the people of India and the LGBTQIA+ community in their victory over prejudice. We welcome the progressive and decisive verdict from the Supreme Court and hope this is the beginning of a more equal and inclusive society.” A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously decriminalised part of the 158-year-old colonial law under Section 377 of the IPC which criminalises consensual unnatural sex, saying it violated the rights to equality. The Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra termed the part of Section 377 as irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary.