Lok Sabha Elections 2024: ‘Community’s problems must be highlighted’

Rajan Singh, the first-ever third-gender candidate from Delhi in the Lok Sabha polls, wants to highlight the grievances of the transgender community.

“We are facing multiple challenges and our basic concerns have not been addressed till date by anyone at the helm of affairs even after 75 years of independence. I am sure that my entry into politics will give us an identity,” Rajan told Patriot in an exclusive interview.

Rajan, who is contesting as an independent candidate from the South Delhi constituency, said that they have been fighting for issues like reservation, identity and social acceptance.

“There are no separate public toilet facilities for us anywhere in the city, no separate seating arrangements in metros and buses. We have been demanding one per cent reservation in the parliament for our community so that someone can represent us and our demands there. We also don’t have reservations in the health and education sectors,” said Rajan.

“We are also fighting for our identity. Transgenders have always been seen as beggars despite them being well educated and doing well in different fields nowadays. We are not even accepted by the society and families,” said Rajan, who is not living with his family since 2018. 

The 26-year-old said that they have been pitching for the setting up of a national transgender commission. 

“It is seriously need of the hour and the authorities should do it on priority. This will help us raise our issues and give a sense that we too exist somewhere,” they said. 

Rajan has been actively fighting for the rights of the transgender community since college days. 

Also Read: Delhi Elections: Capital’s first transgender MP candidate assaulted

“I fought the students union election and won it in 2016. My demand in the college too was for gender-neutral toilet facility and I was later rusticated for 13 days for asking for the same,” said Rajan who has studied B.A. (Honours) Hindi from Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi.

They had approached the Delhi High court last month seeking police protection for their poll campaign. 

“I have been attacked three times so far and no FIR has been lodged till now nor has any investigation been conducted. Though I have been provided with security after strict directions from High Court twice, what about post-election counting. Who will be responsible if I continue to get threats?” said Rajan, who works in an NGO in Delhi.

On asking about why they went half naked to file nomination papers, they said, “I wanted to bring into notice of the authorities how society sees us – naked and vulnerable.”

 Rajan added that they are not worried about losing or winning elections. 

“I hope that there will be a positive outcome of the elections on the result day and I want to inspire others from my community to come out and vote for our rights.”

They said that the authorities have set a long procedure for procuring identity certificates. 

“It took me three years to get it,” said Rajan who hails from Bihar and is now living in Badarpur area.

Rajan believes that the National Legal Services Authority vs Union of India (2014) case judgement has not been implemented on the ground till date. 

“The Supreme Court of India, in its judgement, said that transgenders will be granted equal rights. It gave them the right to self-identification of gender as male, female or third gender. It also asked about giving reservation to our community but nothing has been done till now,” they said.

Rajan is planning to go to the South Delhi Returning Officer’s office on May 20 with a toilet seat. 

“As his office lacks gender-neutral toilet, we want to show how important these toilet facilities are,” they said.

“We too are humans and believe that it is the government’s fault that they have not created any awareness about our community,” they concluded.