Delhi's lone third-gender candidate makes 'sauchalay se, Sansad tak' pitch

In the national capital's South Delhi constituency, 26-year-old Rajan Singh has been reaching out to the electorate with the slogan "sauchalay se, Sansad tak".

The poll plank for Singh, the lone third-gender candidate in the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, is the lack of basic amenities for the transgender community such as separate public toilets.

"I am participating in the Lok Sabha election to address our community's basic needs which are so fundamental and necessary. Yet we still have to fight for them," Singh told PTI.

"Beginning with the demand for separate toilets to advocating for seats for transgender people in Parliament, our journey ahead is long. It begins with the motto 'sauchalay se, sansad tak,'" the candidate said.

A native of Bihar, Singh who lives in the Sangam Vihar area of the city, is fighting the election on the polls symbol "bucket" and plans to take out a march in the constituency on May 12 with a few people.
 

While filing poll nomination on May 3, Singh had said the reason behind participating in the parliamentary elections was to "draw the attention of people as well as the authorities towards the problems faced by the third gender persons due to lack of separate civic amenities for them and also for their social acceptance and rights".

"I want the government to set up a national trans-gender commission so that our basic needs and necessities, such as separate washrooms and queues at government offices and service providers, and also at least one per cent reservation in jobs and education could materialise," Singh had said.

"My father was an electrician when we shifted to Delhi from Bihar in 2010. Life is tough for everyone, but for us, it is tougher as we also have to fight for our identity, acceptance and equal rights."

Singh claimed it took three years to have an identity certificate because of the lengthy procedure and said males and females do not have to provide any gender proof.

The filing of nomination papers for the Lok Sabha polls is an effort to make the presence of a third gender felt by the people and draw the attention of the voters towards their rights, Singh said.

"If I win, I will address basic needs for the third gender," Singh said pointing out there are even animal welfare boards for their protection but there is no such arrangement for the third gender people.

The third gender has been recognised on official papers but they are yet to be accepted by the society, Singh said questioning why there were no leaders in any major political party from the community, Singh had said.

Singh has declared Rs 1 lakh cash in hand and total movable assets worth Rs 15.10 lakh, including 200 gm gold and more than Rs 10,000 in a bank account. Singh declared no immovable assets in the poll affidavit.