Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress on 27th September 2019 condemned the irresponsible and anti-human rights remarks of the honourable Ex- Deputy CM K.S. Eshwarappa, who likened Congress leaders to “Hijadas” implying that leaders lack courage. We wanted to remind him that these statements are uninformed, disrespectful and demeaning to the transgender community. The magnitude of courage required for a person to identify themselves as a transgender is immense. While we are struggling for acceptance and equality, these kind of remarks deny us the right to be respectable members of our society.
Dr. Pushpa Amarnath, the State President of Mahila Congress stated, “This comment is deeply hurtful for a group of people who have spent their entire life for their dignity and are struggling to overcome the prejudices and the glass ceiling. The BJP politicians use freedom of speech to dictate Human Rights”.
As my colleagues from Karnataka sat in peaceful protest at Chakravarthy Layout near Palace Road, the Karnataka Police under the instruction of the Minister manhandled women and transgenders with little or no respect for their dignity, I strongly condemn the B S Yedryurappa Government that is constantly working against the minorities, women and backward classes by coming to power in unscrupulous ways the least they can do is to respect the most disadvantaged communities.
I demand the resignation of the cowardly Minister who is a repeat offender when it comes to making insensitive and derogatory remarks, who from the protection of his position lashes out at the basic human rights of the disadvantaged. Many of my colleagues were brutally hurt and their sarees torn due to unreasonable force used by the Police. The Mahila Congress stands in solidarity with every community that is harassed, lives in fear and is subjugated by the BJP Government.
