Around 400 transgender people in Kalyan (East) chose not to vote during the recent elections. The boycott started after their leader, Nita Kene, was insulted at a local polling booth.
Kene is a transgender person who suffers from spinal problems. She faced difficulties when she arrived to vote. Kene wanted to enter the polling station using her rickshaw due to her condition. However, she was denied entry with her rickshaw.
A police officer allegedly told her, “Don’t vote if you want to take the rickshaw inside.” The incident angered the transgender community. They gathered outside polling booth number 142 in protest. The group blocked traffic, demanding respect for their leader.
The situation drew the attention of authorities. Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Zende, along with officials from the civic and election commissions, arrived to deal with the matter. They listened to the grievances of the transgender community. Later, the officials visited Nita Kene’s residence. They personally requested her to cast her vote.
Authorities promised to investigate the conduct of the officers involved. They assured the community that action would be taken if necessary. Following this, they halted their protest, and about 150 members of the community visited the polling booth to vote in the evening.
In a report by HT, Nita Kene shared her thoughts after the incident. She expressed disappointment, saying she has voted in every election despite her spinal condition. She said that the tone of the police officers during the incident was disrespectful. Kene questioned the treatment of other transgender individuals if she, as a leader, faced such humiliation.
Furthermore, it was reported that more transgenders participated in the election this year. The Nalasopara constituency had 120 transsexual voters registered. In Manvelpada, Virar (east), over 15 transgender people exercised their right to vote at the Zilla Parishad school.
Share
Tweet
