Life is a daily struggle for them not just because they had to beg but more due to their `identity crisis’. The social stigma associated with their identity is taking its toll on their physical as well as mental health. They could not even imagine obtaining a statutory identity proof leave alone securing the basic needs of life. But their dream to be recognised as citizens of this country started coming true in a small way in Guntur city.
Wondering who these underprivileged people are? They are members of the transgender community commonly known as `Hijras’ and issuance of Aadhaar cards is their dream that was realised. They are often spurned by the officials concerned/staff who simply say that Aadhaar cards cannot be issued to them on technical grounds in spite of their fulfilling eligibility criteria. Then the usual insults are heaped on them. Sometimes their applications are taken but to no avail, all because of the familiar societal mindset of looking down upon them.
Not willing to bear this disdainful treatment anymore, some 30 members of the transgender community in living in Guntur city (KVP Colony, Gujjanagundla and other localities) approached the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Secretary M.V. Ramana Kumari and Superintendent of Police (urban) A. Ravi Krishna, who got them successfully enrolled into the UIDAI database.
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Ms. Ramana Kumari made the transgender people to submit a petition to Collector S. Suresh Kumar, which set the ball rolling. Mr. Ravi Krishna spoke to the officials concerned of Revenue Department and got the address of a single house in KVP Colony in which the nearly 30 transgenders are staying, submitted as proof of their residence.
The formality was completed and the applicants started receiving the Aadhaar cards.