Law versus Morality

I

INDIAN society seems to be absorbing only the bad trends of the United States such as nudity, promiscuity, superficial media, sensationalism etc. Unfortunately, the good aspects of a modern society like United States go unappreciated here. Matters of sexuality are personal matters. For a modern society which provides sufficient individual freedom to its subjects, things like scriptures and religion should not matter. Morality, ethics etc evolve and change with time. Our views with respect to sexuality have undergone a big change in last century. Thankfully, almost all modern countries have managed to keep religion out of the law-making process and we are having more pragmatic laws with respect to sexual behaviour of individuals. The recent judgement by Indian courts on homosexuality and pre-marital sex is an indication and these issues are essentially a matter of personal choice and ethics. Ideas such as culture, ethics, values, traditions are not to be forced upon its subjects; they are to be voluntarily accepted by them. Enforcing a law that bans pre-marital sex or homosexuality will not make any sense because the law has no right to force an individual to make a particular choice.

AKSHAR PRABHU DESAI, Canacona

Law versus Morality

II

THE ruling of the Supreme Court, while dealing with the Khushboo case, holding that live-in relationships amongst adults do not amount to an offence has once again left many, who have arrogated to themselves the right to judge others, fairly red-faced. As usual no effort is being spared to blame the judiciary, heaping arguments based on personal sentiments without resorting to law. We do admit that ours being a conservative society, such permissive lifestyle of a man and woman living together without marriage, are objectionable. But the law has its own recourse. Article 21 of the Constitution confers the fundamental right to life and liberty, and hence living together is a right to life and so live-in relationships would be protected by law. Under religion it may be unacceptable and termed as a ‘sin’, but it is not an offence under the law. It should be noted that we are often carry our religious taboos a bit too far. But the law has to move with the dynamics of social behaviour. We are well-aware of the recent Delhi High Court judgement legalising consensual sex between adults of the LGBT group, since it has been established that in some people, such things are intrinsic traits, that may not find answer in religion. It is time we stop imposing our will on others and leave things to be governed by law.

MICHAEL VAZ, Merces

The Menace of Plastic

PLASTICS are the most pervasive polluting agents in modern times. Though the use of plastics cannot be completely stopped, their use must be restricted and minimised. One or two years back, the use of plastic bags as carry-bags had been discontinued in Goa, since the Goa Government had banned the use of plastic bags of certain categories. The officials used to fine people carrying plastic bags and confiscate the bags from the shops. As a result, shop-keepers/traders used to pack the merchandise in paper bags, or simply wrap the packages in paper. People carried cloth bags when going shopping. Sadly, however, plastic bags are back with a bang. Has the Goa government withdrawn the notification banning the use plastic bags? Or, is this just another example of how the governments functions? What happened to the law that banned spitting in public places? The answer can just as easily be found on the tobacco-stained walls of the Panaji municipal market.

SND POOJARY, Miramar