Stopped short of legal recognition, says petitioner

“We are disappointed. Though the court has reiterated that queer people have the right to form relationships, they stopped well short of legal recognition. We remain hopeful,” said Supriyo Chakraborty.

Hyderabad: Months of anticipation and hope for an inclusive future within the queer community and their allies in the city were met with a disappointing verdict on Tuesday afternoon.

“We are disappointed. Though the court has reiterated that queer people have the right to form relationships, they stopped well short of legal recognition. We remain hopeful,” said Supriyo Chakraborty. He and Abhay Dang are Telangana’s first gay couple to tie the knot and lead petitioners in this landmark case.

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Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, another petitioner in the case says, “This I see as a win for us transgenders. But we have to get back and put in a lot more hard work for marriage equality.” Mogli’s drive to put up strong fight to achieve queer rights is a shared sentiment amongst the community.

“We are planning to hold a peaceful protest rally in the city soon,” informed Jayant of Queer Nilayam. The Centre was directed to set up a committee to explore solutions to problems faced by same-sex couples.

To this, city-based queer rights activist Tashi Choedup says, “A committee is a joke,” referring to the Centre’s open opposition to marriage equality. Stating that it is not just the queer community that has to be worried, they say that declining the rights of one community is a failure of the collective society.