we ask a few astute questions. we smarter swarms. are you a psychopath? wouldn't causes monster waves. how powerful are your thoughts? we can control our thoughts, which makes us very powerful. questions about life, the universe and the rest were series 40 to be answered. almost everything. this week on t w this is due to the new species coming up today. these india on the verge of legalizing same sex marriages. the countries apex court begins hearing arguments on petitions that are demanding just that. but this opposition from the government and religious groups. so is india ready for change?

ah, my british manager, welcome to deed up in news asia. glad you could join us in the us supreme court has opened a historic debate on same sex marriage. the court is hearing final arguments on several petitions calling for its legalization. the central government will get fully filed in equity. dad, he did say in law uncertain terms and recorded play a lot. it's just the 1st day of headings which are being live stream given public interest. many gay couples and l. g, b to q activists are hoping for a judgement of their favor, but they are up against the government and religious leaders who oppose marriage between same sex does. but that we know that now earlier this year d w's are then pot met. one same sex couples from tele, who are petitioners and the case, and heard why marriage is so important to them all day. and bart's love

story is like any other be made at school, fell in love and built a life together in daily was 17 years. but as a gay couple in india, the relationship was considered a crime until the supreme court. deacon realized homosexuality in 2018. by despite this landmark judgement, the other one dear relationship still has no legal recognition. the right to manage would significantly improve our lives. it would significantly had power lives as a couple of, but we certainly see that it creates a conversation in the minds of people around us and would create a confidence in the minds of other young or gay people without legal recognition of the relationship they can on the tasks that most heterosexual couples,

big for granted, such as opening a joint bank account or making medical decisions for each other. and despite those practical difficulties that couples face, there are groups vehemently opposed to the passage of any law legalizing same. sex unions far out. hinder groups, for instance, did a respondent other but spoke to one such group un hotel met. some of them are organization rated hotels. where we found same sex couples making love, way home, we stopped them and got them arrested. you will be open up now. why should we encourage something that is not part of our culture? apaloosa, we investigated the matters and set these couples behind bar city on good. you'll be where even the government as opposed to legalizing same sex marriage. foreign minister nodded them all these b, j. b government. in march filing, the supreme court said such unions are got not compatible with the indian family unit concept of a husband, a wife and children. and on sunday,

the government asked the court to dismiss the case, saying parliament rather than the court is the right platform to debate the matter . the petitions which merely reflect the latest views cannot be compared with the appropriate legislature, which reflects the views and voices of far why the spectrum and expands across the country. and gentlemen offer more contact from delhi a senior lawyer, monica ross quote here, she specializes in family law and is the all sort of the book intimacy undone marriage, divorce, and family law in india. miss rosco, welcome. can you help us understand what the government score argument is in opposing legalization of same sex marriage and india? well, a bad from the concern that is too radical in society is not bad for it. and also their own reservations, perhaps ideological, but not important legally. what they are taking is that the law,

as it stands and the statute as it, as they are at the moment, be it the special marriage act or be it the hindu marriage act, which is the go defied law in those for him to marriage, act for the hindus and special marriage act, the all communities the statute does not leave room. don't include this new equation of same sex marriage. meaning that the statute up premised on heterosexual marriages. so in this morning's hearing, for example, the court, i had said that we are going to, and those are available online that we are. the court has said that they only want to view on the issue of whether the doors with same sex preferences are equal to those with heterosexual differences. and if they are, as they are, the that is a see of judgments prior to that, which have,

which has acknowledged that then certainly they have a fundamental right to matty. and therefore they have a fundamental sorry, go ahead, sorry, i thought in a sort of go through it. right. or, and then they said that if you hold that far, then comes the question as to what is the law that we define and cover and regulate that relationship which according to the government, the current law does not take. and that's the position of the government. and some other, a personal law boards and that are also opposing this new interpretation due to marriage, right? that's, that's the legal aspect offered. and we're trying to sort of get a bit of the context around the discussions off this. and therefore, wonder if it solves anyone's interests. if same sex unions aren't legalized,

well, it serves saves the end. it's of the interest of all conservatives are particularly who are conservative along religious lines, isn't it? be it, any community? i think all conservatives across all communities are seem to be aligned on this issue and they will treat it as a ideological retreat. so it's, it's as old as time be seen. it happen them in same sex marriages were opposed even by the vatican, isn't it? that's always when you're on the threshold of an important change around the resistance. you've done with family law or for decades in your personal experience, how much opposition? eastern society to same sex unions. i

mean, what you see because there will be segments. so again, it's conservative segments of all glasses of society, which would, which would object to it. but what is there going to be some horrendous, appraising against it? no, i don't see that. i haven't seen any signs of it. there's too much else happening. that is, at the moment consuming people. we're also talking of a country rich decriminalized gay sex in the 2018. and now the government is opposing legalizing same sex marriages is either timing more or less conservative. no, we, we had on paper. we seem to be moving towards less conservative, isn't it? is, or even with the legal at the criminalization of same sex, that was a very bored move in 2018 at this is back the next step. and so i don't see why it would be treated as more conservative or either way there's

a reaction when you say india, it's so vast. there are many, there's no one position goal of india. but yes, currently the government has taken this position, but the judiciary is a separate, a separate um, which need not be aligned with the government. and in this case is querying the government's position quite closely. assuming that the court does a legalized same sex marriage, could the government, in principle, enact laws to over tom, the judgement where they could that, that is a judgement which would then or any, any laws that the pass that they choose to pass me will, will again, have to be tested on the an will of fundamental rights and constitutionality. i mean, are of constitutionality by the court again. so even any act that is passed will

again, god come back to the court to be tested on this and will, and this and very clearly will hold that the constitutional position is as follows . short, the tragic duty that we bought be been on. it should hold that it would be that same sex marriage should be permitted because marriage is in fundamental right. but whether it is going to the whole gamut of what else are we don't know we can just wait and watch just on a practical level ma'am. how does a not being murdered? impacts daily life for same sex couples in india. oh, you see that is true of anywhere in the world, isn't it? but you want to know, adopting children as a single parent is a little different. it is,

is more complicated. adopting as an unmarried is complicated that going to be other issues. these are world issues. these are not limited to india, but the issue of a sub i. busy inheritance laws, the issue of who, you know, a spouse can mean headed to pension benefit and so on. so unmarried people, unmarried couples who spent years and years together stand to lose those benefits, which is again, a global issue and has been dealt with in some countries to be inclusive and some in some it's yet to happen. i just have one more question for you and it might be speculative in nature. so feel free to not answer it, but i will risk it in austin. nonetheless. i mean the matter has been heard by 5 judge a constitution bench. that is the chief justice dealer general to who was also

a member of the 5 judge branch that legalize gay sex in 2018. in india. what are the chances you reckon the court could legalize same sex marriage? you're quite right and wanting me before i had i think that i thought i'd ask him to lease it. it looks, it looks hopeful. i mean, it has an open mind that seems to be quite clear from the interaction of watching online this morning that it's, it's certainly not closed. i never felt compelled to ask you one last question. is in the ready for change? oh yes, i mean now of course india is always ready to change and they will like in any other part of the world when that is changed, there is also a resistance to change. there is no 11 gun. she isn't it represented in one

voice in any back of the was a pleasure talking to you mildly, carrasco, to thank you so much for your off the specter thank you. that does it for today. there is a more stories from the region on our website did dot com forward slash asia as ever. you can follow us on facebook and twitter, or back in tomorrow, so you're gonna get back with enjoying the view and come take a look at this tv highlights every week in your inbox, subscribe. now. the trio taking on nigerian trafficking that works a lot to finish with the when it comes to trafficking nigerian women for sex.

they're always saying the same thing. you get to go without having to pay thing it obviously that's all align m n a forms. yes. and then we succeed in restoring this young girls ability to treat it. it's something that really is price and measurement that gives me known to what i do. the trio combating, sheeting dealings, starts april 29th on d, w. ah, china post battery unexpected quarterly growth after a resurgence in exports and posts upon time expanding will bring you analysis of the figures and off comments be described as a robust recovery. meanwhile, european commission present worth law fund alliance as the

e. you need to reduce its dependence on beijing, but stops shores of calling for a full decoupling. and empty apartment blocks high, the crisis in china's property market feel for people on the ground. this is dw business. i'm kate ferguson. thanks for joining me. china's latest quarterly growth figures arrives on they're better than expected. the economy grew 4 and a half percent year on year between january and march. the rise was driven by strong exports on the rebound in retail consumption after authorities lifted. moved to pandemic restrictions. unveiling the figure as china's official statistics bureau described them as a good start would said the foundation for economic recovery was not solid. yes. night break. this'll dine for us. let's bring in our china expert. clifford couldn't severed good to have you with us. it's interesting to hear china's own affair.