Transgender community protests in Mumbai, demands equal rights

Dozens of members of transgender community took to streets in Mumbai on Saturday to protest against the failure of the government to protect their rights.

The protestors under the banner of a transgender organization, 'Kinner Maa' shouted slogans against the government demanding equal rights.

Some of them broke into impromptu motivational songs.

The protesters said they had demanded setting up of a rehab centre for the members of transgender community five years ago, but the successive governments have failed to fulfill their demands.

"We have a bipolar society which is why our sufferings have increased much. Five years before when Congress was in power, we asked the government to provide for a rehab centre. Now, the power has come into BJP's hands. But in the power change, our demand remains unfulfilled. Both men and women have got their rights but transgender community is still fighting for its rights," said president of Kinnar Maa, Salma.

The protesting transgender community said the demand was to accommodate people of their community who were too old and weak.

"For our rights we need a rehab centre where people who have been raped or who have been thrown out of the trains by people who are drunk and all, people who are uneducated people who misbehave with the transgender throw them out of the trains and all, some harassments are being done. So, in their old age if their hands are broken, if their legs are broken, where will they go? Where will they go and ask, we need this, we need that? They'll come to the rehab centre where there will be proper place," said a transgender, Lavanya.

The Supreme Court recognised transgender as a legal third gender in April 2014 and, in a landmark judgment lauded by human rights groups, called on the government to ensure equal treatment to them.