Dera Sacha Sauda's efforts for Upliftment of Transgenders (Eunuchs) Showed Positive Results Finally

Supreme Court recognizing the transgenders (eunuchs) as the 'Third Gender'

Welcoming the judgment of Supreme Court recognizing the transgenders (eunuchs) as the 'Third Gender', Dera Sacha Sauda asserted that it had been through the incessant efforts of Revered Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan to bring them out of their neglected condition and get them reintegrated in the social mainstream with respect and equality. Revered Guru Ji has earlier entitled them with the respectable name of 'Sukh Dua Samaj' (a community that prays for the well-being of all). Besides this, the issues related to providing education to eunuch children alike normal children and providing them employment so that they quit the profession of begging had been raised. For this, under the pious guidance of Revered Guru Ji, the Poojiya Mata Naseeb Kaur Ji Insan Women Welfare Society had filed a PIL no 604 in the year 2013. The Supreme Court has taken a historical decision on that, granting eunuchs the status of Third Gender and providing them reservations under the OBC Category. The spokesperson of Dera Sacha Sauda, Shri Pawan Insan expressed his happiness over the judgment and said that Revered Guru Ji is engaged in the welfare of the entire world. HE has been the pioneer in granting the eunuchs a respectable position in society, bringing them out of the neglect and oppression they had been facing from centuries. The efforts of Dera Sacha Sauda have proven to be a milestone in improving the condition of eunuchs, bringing them into the social mainstream and getting them this special status. India has now become the first nation where eunuchs would be given a status different from male & female gender. Pawan Insan further told that under the holy guidance of Revered Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, Dera Sacha Sauda is engaged in 101 welfare activities, one of them is the upliftment of eunuchs and reintegrating them into the social mainstream. His Holiness started this historical social welfare activity of upliftment of eunuchs on November 14th, 2009. In order to provide good education to the eunuch children, Revered Guru Ji has arranged free education for them. Revered Guru Ji often states that we need to bring the eunuchs out of their neglected & destitute lives, provide them with better living conditions and education so that they also lead a respectable life. Pawan Insan informed that the Supreme Court issued the Judgment on the PIL filed by Dera Sacha Sauda asking for special status to the eunuchs and directed the Central & State Government to grant them with privileges so as to improve their condition and bring them into the mainstream of the society. The spokesperson said that after this Judgment, the official documents shall have a column for the Third Gender, apart from Male & Female. The public places too will have special toilets catering to the needs of the eunuchs.

Highlights of the Judgment:

1. The Supreme Court on Tuesday created the "Third Gender" status for hijras or transgenders. Earlier, they were forced to write male or female against their gender.
2. The Supreme Court asked the Centre to treat transgenders as socially and economically backward.This is for the first time that the third gender has got a formal recognition. The third gender people will be considered as OBCs.The SC said they will be given educational and employment reservation as OBCs.
3. The Supreme Court said that transgenders will be allowed admission in educational institutions and given employment on the basis that they belonged to the third gender category. It said absence of law recognizing hijras as third gender could not be continued as a ground to discriminate them in availing equal opportunities in education and employment.
4. The SC also said states and the Centre will devise social welfare schemes for third gender community and run a public awareness campaign to erase social stigma. The SC said the states must construct special public toilets and departments to look into their special medical issues.
5. The SC also added that if a person surgically changes his/her sex, then he or she is entitled to her changed sex and cannot be discriminated.
6. The SC expressed concern over transgenders being harasssed and discriminated in the society and passed a slew of directions for their social welfare. The apex court said that trangenders were respected earlier in the society but situation has changed and they now face discrimination and harassment. It said that section 377 of IPC is being misused by police and other authorities against them and their social and economic condition is far from satisfactory.
7. The bench clarified that its verdict pertains only to eunuchs and not other sections of society like gay, lesbian and bisexuals who are also considered under the umbrella term 'transgenders'.