Maharashtra: Transgender community wants to know why they are not Ladki Bahin

The transgender community that voted in Virar. Pic/Hanif Patel

The transgender community has raised its voice, seeking to be included under the "Ladki Bahin Yojana," a scheme launched last year in Maharashtra by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde aimed at making women economically independent. Many transgender individuals are school or college dropouts, and due to their limited education, often end up begging. They are questioning why they have been excluded from such a beneficial scheme that could help them achieve economic independence.

A 46-year-old trans leader Neeta Kene from Kinnar Asmita Foundation said "A trans leader Dr Sanvi Jethwani had met the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde requesting him to include the trans community too under the Laadki Bahin scheme. Despite receiving assurance from him, we did not get any benefit till date. Are we not the ‘Bahin' (sister)? Why are we often neglected?"

"All the government-run schemes including Laadki Bahin Yojana should be made transgender-friendly," she said. "There is no problem in making voter ID cards, but we have to struggle a lot to make Aadhaar cards and PAN cards. And in the sheer lack of these crucial documents (Aadhaar/PAN cards), we cannot avail facilities of other schemes designed to benefit transgender. So, our transgender identity card should be made a legal document to avail all the government schemes," she said.

Meanwhile, a trans advocate Dr Pawan Yadav said, "We are thankful to the ECI for giving us the opportunity to cast our votes in the democracy, but we have been excluded in the Laadki Bahin Yojana of the state government. I would request the government to include us also in the same scheme so that we can also avail the benefit."

"We would unanimously demand from the officials concerned to reserve at least one seat in the state Assembly for our community so that the elected member can understand the problem and raise the issues in the Assembly," Dr Yadav told mid-day.

Adding further, Dr Yadav said, "In a bid to uplift the living conditions of our community, a Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board has been constituted in the state, but it has been lying dysfunctional for months. If it is made active, at least somehow the community can reap benefits."

"We don't easily get houses on rent and when we approach the police to complain, our complaints go unheard. So, society needs to be sensitised so that we can also live our life happily," said Dr Yadav.

Voting for better lifestyle

A group of transgenders used their democratic rights in Virar on Wednesday. They said they have voted so that their lifestyle can change. They thanked the Election Commission of India for allowing the community to use their democratic rights.

Talking to mid-day, 30-year-old Alia Pawar said that the life of a transgender is very tough, ‘as hardly people come to help us to uplift.' "People talk a lot about our community but the ground reality remains unchanged. Today I am working as a computer operator at Vasai Tahsildar office but our life is full of struggle," said Pawar.

"Almost all the transgenders, who joined me today in using our democratic rights in Virar, are into the begging business. They are either school or college dropouts. We are not pro or against any government but our lifestyle must change," Pawar said.

"We struggle to share workstations at government offices, people call us to seek blessings but they do not want to share their dining table with us. This needs to change, so we have voted to bring changes in our lifestyle," Pawar said. The transgenders also voted at Byculla and Jogeshwari.