New Delhi, Sep 17 - Gay activists and lawyers Thursday welcomed the government's decision to leave it to the Supreme Court to arrive at a view on decriminalising homosexuality among consenting adults, saying the stance is not 'negative' or 'against them.'

'I feel that the government is not interfering. This is a good stand. It is not negative because it implies they don't oppose the high court recommendation,' Ashok Row Kavi, a gay rights activist, told IANS.

Kavi stressed that the government had to consider views of both the majority and minority and its 'decision is not going against the gay minority.'

'It is a matter of constitutional morality. This will let us fight it out in court,' he said.

The UNAIDS also welcomed the government's stance.

'Today the union Cabinet took a small but extremely important step in the fight against HIV and AIDS by upholding the rights of men to have sex with other men through not contesting the historic Delhi High Court ruling on 377,' said a statement issued by Charles Gilks, UNAIDS Country Coordinator, India.

Agrees Lesley A. Esteves, journalist and gay rights activist.

'I feel the government has studied and recognised that the Delhi high court judgment is a solid judgment and as per the Constitution. Hence, it is a broad and liberal stand,' he added.

On Thursday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni announced that the 'cabinet considered the report of the group of ministers and decided to ask the attorney general to assist the Supreme Court in every way desired in arriving at an opinion on the Delhi high court judgement.'

The announcement came after a meeting of the union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manomohan Singh.

Asked if the government was taking the safe way out on a divisive issue, Soni replied: 'I don't think you can take that viewpoint.'

On Aug 17, the Supreme Court had sought the central government's view on decriminalising gay sex between consenting adults after lawsuits challenged the Delhi High Court's order.