18 April,2014 06:41 AM IST | | Swapnal Tilekar
Two days after the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment about transgenders, members of the community in the city turned up at polling booths in Kasba Peth and Shivajinagar to cast their vote
On April 15, when the Supreme Court created a third category for the transgenders (hijras) of the country, it may not have anticipated that the decision would translate into a good turnout for voting for the Lok Sabha elections.
Equal rights: The transgenders demanded equal rights to employment and education
Hundreds of transgenders from Kasba Peth and Shivajinagar constituencies voted yesterday for the Lok Sabha elections.
Panna Gabrel, a transgender and president of Aashirwaad Sanstha who voted from the Kasba Peth, said, "I felt a different zeal and confidence while voting this time. It gave the feeling that my vote is truly going to be counted."
She added, "More than 250 transgenders from Aashirwaad Sanstha voted from Kasba Peth and Shivajinagar constituencies. There was no reluctance in voting procedure this time; everybody wanted to vote."
Another transgender, Gujji, who voted from Shivajinar constituency said, "It seems that the change is happening for good from all directions. When I voted this time I felt a big wave of contentment."
She continued, "On behalf of our community I would like to say that whoever is elected this time, they have to pay attention to our problems. Even Supreme Court has recognised us now. We will follow a âgive respect, take respect' policy.
We are looking forward to equality. They have to treat us as equals to women and men. We want the new government to treat our issues like rape more intensely. We want basic facilities like employment and college education, irrespective of whichever government comes to power."
