RANCHI: Amid sudden surge in the cases of COVID-19, the transgender community of Jharkhand have demanded separate arrangement for them in hospitals as they are not comfortable either with men's or women's ward.
Transgenders from across the State had gathered before the office of Jharkhand Legal Services Authority (JHALSA), under the banner of Shubhkamana Foundation, demanding their rights.
“Even though we don’t feel comfortable with either the men or women, transgenders who came from different states, were lodged with the women in quarantine centres. Government should also make separate arrangement for us in hospitals as COVID-19 is as dangerous for us as for others,” said Amarjeet Kinner from Bokaro.
Neither there are separate community centres, nor separate arrangement of beds for us in Jharkhand hospitals, he added.
According to Amarjeet, there are separate beds for transgenders in some of the neighbouring states but such facilities are missing here in Jharkhand. There does not have even separate toilets for the transgender in Jharkhand, he added.
Another transgender from Jamshedpur said that, given the fact that Supreme Court has given all rights to us in 2014 nothing has been done in this regard in Jharkhand. The government needs to wake up for our rights so that we can also flourish in our life, he added.
They were also demanding benefits of welfare schemes run by the central and the state government.
"We should also be made part of the developments taking part in the society,” said Sanjana Kinner from Jamshedpur.
Notably, they raised voice for their rights two days after transgender Amrita Alpesh Soni represented her community as a member at the bench, set up by Ranchi District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), to resolve disputes in the National Lok Adalat on Saturday.