Eunuchs face tougher times

BANGALORE: It appears that problems for eunuchs and transgenders have increased with the amendment to the Karnataka Police Act.
“The new commissioner had instructed his officers to take action against eunuchs involved in begging and sex work. As it is, they are attacked and false petty cases booked against them. Police release them after imposing a fine or intervention from NGOs and community-based organizations,” said Akkai Padmashali, programme manager for Sangama, a society working for their welfare.
Transgenders are more vulnerable as they are publicly identifiable by their mannerisms. “They are always stigmatized. All police cases in which we have intervened had proven to be false,” said Akkai.
Samara, which runs a helpline for crisis intervention of sexual minorities in the city, reports 15 to 17 cases every month. “Of these, nine to 10 are police cases. The rest of the calls from hijras are related to harassment from the public, house owners, autorickshaw drivers, partners or those from the community,” she said.
Though the number of cases has reduced over the years due to Samara’s intervention, the harassment of eunuchs continues. “Four years ago, Samara reported 30 to 40 cases per month,” she noted.
However,Campaign for Sexual Minorities and Sex Workers’ Rights (CSMR) called on the state government to reconsider a recent amendment to the Karnataka Police Act 1964, that reinforces discriminatory provisions of the repealed Hyderabad Eunuchs Act.
“The Karnataka Repealing and Amending (Regional Laws) Bill, 2009, was approved by the Karnataka assembly in March 2011. The Hyderabad Eunuchs Act was directly derived from the colonial-era Criminal Tribes Act, which notified all members of certain tribes, castes and social groups as criminal at birth. The amendment states that a separate register would be maintained for hijras, in which they should fill in their personal details,” Akkai said.