Dear PM, we have put our faith in you, say transgenders this Raksha Bandhan

The transgender community in Delhi believes there can’t be a better day than Raksha Bandhan to urge the PM to save them from humiliation and ridicule that has become a part of their lives. They are sending rakhis to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with a moving letter, requesting him to pass The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016. Whisky, a transgender who has collaborated with India HIV/AIDS Alliance, the NGO that has organised this initiative, says, “The PM says, sabka saath, sabka vikas. We want to be a part of it. We want to live a life of dignity. We want laws to protect us. We consider the PM our brother. We hope he saves us from the ostracization we face. We are sending rakhis to him with a letter hoping that the parliamentarians will pass the Transgender Bill.”

The community also wants the PM to address their issues publicly. “For his weekly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, Modi Bhai asks people to suggest topics. We want him to speak about us, about the LGBTQ+. We love that he talks about technology, GST, Clean India, and Make In India. We want to be a part of this. This rakhi, we request Modi Bhai to talk about us,” says Bobby, a sex worker.

The letter has been put inside a rainbow envelope that stands for LGBTQ+ pride.“Our families have disowned us. We don’t tie rakhi to anyone. This could be the first time that our community is sending rakhis to PM Modi. I believe that this will change our lives with jobs and respect,” says Raamkali, a transgender who runs an NGO, Basera Samajik Sansthan. Sonal Mehta, chief executive of India HIV/AIDS Alliance, is hopeful that the Transgender Bill will be passed. “Narendra Modi has shown great political leadership in the Parliament in the past years. We hope he will convince his fellow parliamentarians to pass the bill,” she says.

PHOTOS: GOKUL VS/HT (Top) Transgenders hold the letters and rakhis they are sending to the PM. (Inset) An excerpt from the letter