In India, couples begin their legal battle for same-sex marriage
NPRIn India, couples begin their legal battle for same-sex marriage Enlarge this image toggle caption Altaf Qadri/AP Altaf Qadri/AP NEW DELHI — Utkarsh Saxena and Ananya Kotia's love story began just like any other college romance. If legalized, India would become the second economy in Asia after Taiwan to recognize same-sex marriage, a significant right for the country's LGBTQ community more than four years after the top court decriminalized gay sex. A favorable ruling would also make India the biggest democracy with such rights for LGBTQ couples but run counter to the ruling Hindu nationalist government's position, which opposes same-sex marriages. Gay couples and LGBTQ activists argue that by refusing to recognize same-sex marriage, the government is depriving homosexual couples of their right to equality enshrined in the constitution and opportunities enjoyed by married heterosexual couples.