LGBT march seeks justice for transgender who was 'burnt alive'

The pride march that started at Tulsi Park in Majestic ended at the Town Hall, where the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community marked Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Addressing the gathering, Akkai Padmashali, who heads the CSMR Coalition for Sex Workers, Sexual and Sexual Minorities said, “India voted against us getting equal rights in the UN General Assembly. We demand the UN to promote gender equality and give us our right.”

For the last nine years, queer people from different cities are making it to the Karnataka Queer Habba.

This year, 15-20 people from Hyderabad who were aghast at the shaming of transgenders on a programme on Telugu television channel and 35-40 people from Katiya Kari theatre group were present.

Tara episode
The group of transgenders from Tamil Nadu sat around a ‘coffin’ covered with pictures and signs, seeking justice for their deceased friend Tara.

Srigit Sundaran narrated how his friend Tara was taken to a police station in Tamil Nadu nine days ago and later she died of ‘kerosene burning.’

“At around 2.30 pm, she was recharging her phone. The police saw her around the area and mistook her for a sex worker. In fact, she works with Snegedi, a non-governmental organisation. She was taken to the police station and she died of ‘kerosene burning’ that morning in Pondy Bazaar police station in Chennai,’’ Sundaran said. This was followed by the lighting of candles at the coffin.

“Transgenders are very much a part of our community. They give us support but we fail to support them in return. This event is an effort to bridge that disparity in order to remember the T in LGBT,” said activist Romal Liasram.
 
Akkai Padmashali, LGBT RIGHTS Activist:
India voted against us getting equal rights in the UN General Assembly. We demand that the UN
promote gender equality and give us our right.