Mission to rehabilitate eunuchs underway

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 23: Eunuchs (kinners) raising money from people travelling in trains and buses to make their ends meet is a common scene in Guwahati these days. It was quite alien in this part of the tion till the last few decades. What they do now does not suit a descent society. When there is no initiative from the administration to get the mece solved those who have to take the bull by the horns are NGOs. In the instant case also an NGO has stepped into.

Mandira Baruah, who is leading SATSAREE, an NGO, from the front as its president, said: “We’re going to take the task of rehabilitating eunuchs in Assam so as to make them eke out their honest living. We need to see them as human beings too, in the first place. They should enjoy every right as other citizens in society. They may be as valuable human resources as every other member in society. However, to make that really happen, we need to take them from the very gutter they’re now. We need to train them so as to hone their skill so that they can be productive workers in society. Such a step from the responsible society can make them contribute their best to society they too live in.”

Baruah said: “Kinners should be put to render service in the sort of works which they find comfortable. They can be good security guards. There may be other vocations which they feel like rendering service.  If they’ve educated ones, things may be much easier.”

Baruah said that a team of the NGO had a discussion with Bidhan Baruah’s mother. “We sent a letter to Bidhan Baruah through his mother. Baruah, an Assamese lawyer who has embarked on the road to achieving his dream of changing his gender, is interested to extend us a helping hand in our mission.”

Meanwhile, Baruah said that they were going to hold the Rongali Bihu with a three-day-long celebration at Srimanta Sankaradev Kalakshetra, Guwahati on April 11, 12 and 13, 2018. She said State Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi and State Chief Secretary TY Das had consented to attend the programme.