Transgender community of Assam raises voice against CAB

Guwahati: At a time when the whole of Assam is burning in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, the other genders of the state, the transgender too has come forth to show their strong protest against the Bill. The transgender community of Assam is of the opinion that the bill will undermine their existence and identity in the state.

The first transgender judge of Assam, Swati Bidhan Baruah heads the All Assam Transgender Association and when approached to give her opinion on the Bill, Swati said, “While our existence already did not have any form in Assam since the NRC process has begun, on top of this the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will completely end the transgender community’s existence in the state.”

She also goes to add that there is, in fact, no loss no profit for them whether the citizenship bill gets imposed or not. It is the general citizens who are actually more concerned about their citizenship and the CAB will have an impact on their existence.

Swati further goes on to illustrate more on the Bill and add how the bill is going to affect their community. Swati added that passing of the Bill may end up making the transgender people from other countries, especially from Bangladesh, settle in Assam and this will further create a problem for the local transgender. As the bill is about letting the illegal immigrants from the three nations making legal citizens of India, the transgender too have the same issue of threat to their existence once the Bill is passed.

Along with the other genders and local people of the state, the transgender too will face the same issue of traditional as well as cultural threat and that is what bothering the community.

Speaking about the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updation process in Assam, the transgender community complains that the community is already on the back foot and keeping this in mind Swati Bidhan Baruah has also submitted a petition in the Supreme Court of India.

Also read: AGP Carries Out Torchlight Rally Across The State protesting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill