India’s ruling political party has come out in support of decriminalizing gay sex, the first time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a stance on the issue.

Shaina NC, BJP spokesperson for Mumbai, said Tuesday (13 January) that while homosexuality may be seen as unnatural, it was not unacceptable.

‘We are for decriminalizing homosexuality. That is the progressive way forward,’ she said told NDTV.

In December last year, the Supreme Court reinstated Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which punishes gay sex with up to life imprisonment.

Shaina NC reiterated the party’s stance on another news show on CNN-IBN later that evening.

When asked whether the government would legislate on the matter, she said, ‘That’s for our party leaders to deliberate and discuss on.

‘There can always be mixed opinions on a particular issue and especially an issue like this which is very out of the box so to say vis-a-vis our traditional culture.

‘There is bound to be some kind of resistance. But I don’t think we can have blinkers on to make ourselves believe that there is no LGBT community in this country.’

Fellow guest, Gautam Bhan, a member of Voices Against 377, called for Shaina NC to get her party to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court supporting her claim.

‘If Shaina would ask the government to put this position supporting decriminalization in an affidavit at the Supreme Court, as they have asked, it would help us greatly,’ he said.

The BJP national executive member later tweeted her assent.

‘Gautam Bhan will take up your suggestion on #LGBT with our govt,’ she wrote.