अक़्स-ए-ख़ुशबू हूँ

..Lucknow, Dec 13 (PTI) Social activists today hailed the government''s decision to introduce a separate ''Others'' category in 2011 Census for transgenders and termed it as a right step.

"Though a belated one it is a right step which would help the government initiate special schemes for the welfare of this most neglected section of society," social activist and retired IPS officer, Kiran Bedi told PTI on phone.

"It is a positive and historical step to bring the transgenders, who had been facing humiliation since ages, in the mainstream," she said, adding that it would help get the correct data to help the government formulate special welfare schemes for the community.

Activist Swami Agnivesh said that such a provision was needed to have been made a long time back. The community should get all the rights of a common citizen, he said.

Hailing the decision, President of All India Kinnar Association, Sonia Haji thanked intellectuals for helping them get their right.

"India is perhaps the first country in the world to have made such a provision for transgenders in census and this would also pave the way for others of our kind the world over to get equal rights," Haji said.

For attaining equality in society, we would now demand reservation in elections, Haji said, adding that a demand for a separate commission has also been made.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi have also given an assurance to consider it, the Association''s president said.

The Office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) said in an RTI reply that as recommended by the Technical Advisory Committee "transgenders would be given separate code i.e. ''3'' in the names of others, the ''1'' and ''2'' being meant for male and female respectively during the ensuing Census 2011."

The community is, presently, included as ''Males'' in the census.

An NGO led by Bareilly-based activist Dr.S.E.Huda had petitioned the Prime Minister''s Office, President''s Secretariat, Home Ministry and Registrar General''s Office on inclusion of transgender as a different category.

The Home Ministry had referred the matter to Technical Advisory Committee, which has given nod for providing a third category other than male and female.
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