ADALYA JOURNAL ISSN NO: 1301-2746

Remarkable Relief Measures Pronounced by the

Political Party ‘Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’

(DMK) for the Welfare of the Transgenders of

Tamil Nadu

R.Steffi Ph.D. Research Scholar Department of English, Periyar University Salem, , [email protected]

Dr. V. Sangeetha Professor and Head Department of English, Periyar University Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

The political parties in Tamil Nadu have a long history to be cherished. A few parties

acclaim the historical heritage. They are one with the people of Tamil Nadu; they have united

families, befriended people, business assortments and even paved way for marriage

proposals. Most importantly it has given efficient leaders to the state. The political leaders

and the parties of Tamil Nadu are being praised by the political parties of other states too.

The two political masses that the land has inherited over the years are the Dravida Munnetra

Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Both

the parties are possessing a strong alliance since its inception.

Among the two political parties the paper aims to focus on the accomplishments of DMK,

which is presently holding the position of a strong opposing party in Tamil Nadu. The party

has contributed enormously for the welfare of the Dravidians. They have done pioneering

deeds for the people of Tamil Nadu. The leaders of the party such as C.N. Annadurai, E.V.

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Ramaswamy Naicker and Kalaignar Karunanidhi have rendered selfless service for the

people of Tamil Nadu.

The party has offered support through its various welfare systems to the people who were

marginalised based on caste, class and gender. The noble thoughts of the party’s veterans

have rendered liberty to the people. The DMK party has made welfare possible for the people

living in the fringes of the society.

The relief measures and welfare schemes sanctioned by DMK for both men and women

without any gender bias are noteworthy. The support and recognition that the party has given

and continues to give to the Transgender community of Tamil Nadu are remarkable. The

efforts taken for it are imbibed by the party’s present leaders too. It has also been taken

forward by other parties in Tamil Nadu and by the political parties outside the state. Tamil

Nadu remains outstanding in exhibiting progression among the transgenders and in projecting

a fair status of transgenders when compared to the other state. Therefore the objective of the

research paper is to enlist the various merits of DMK in enhancing the welfare of the

transgenders of Tamil Nadu.

The welfare for transgenders was vividly initiated by former Chief Minister Kalaignar

Karunanidhi. He adorned them with a respectful name. He was the first person to give them

the name ‘Thirunangai’, the term that originates from the Tamil language. The two

syllables ‘thiru’ and ‘nangai’ constitute the word thirunangai; ‘thiru’ denotes the respectful

term in Tamil addressed to a person which is equivalent to ‘Mr’ in English and ‘nangai’

refers to a woman who is great amongst the women.

The term thirunangai has also been conceived with other similar meanings.

“Karunanidhi didn’t just call transgender people “aravani,” their traditional name, but

addressed them as “thirunangai,” a respectful term that can be translated as “mister lady” ”

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(Merelli). The term gave independence to transwomen who were abused verbally with

derogatory words. It has provided them the correct recognition and respect.

The term thirunangai and its connotations are similar to the word ‘Hijra’ that addresses

transgenders in the northern parts of the country. ‘Hijra’ is explained with its meaning by

Laxminarayan Tripathi, a transwoman in her memoir Me Hijra, Me Laxmi. “ The word

‘hij’ refers to the soul, a holy soul. The body in which the holy soul resides is called

‘hijra’” (Tripathi 39). The concept of “mister lady” relating to thirunangai is similar to

Laxmi’s understanding of hijra and the concept underlying it. “ A hijra is neither a man nor a

woman. She is feminine, but not a woman. He is masculine, a male by birth, but not a man

either” (Tripathi 40).

It can be witnessed that the approach of DMK towards the upheaval of the transgender

community is unique and is welcomed by the transgenders. Besides pronouncing schemes

to control HIV/AIDS among transgenders, the DMK party exhibits a different approach

towards the transgenders and it is rewarding too.

Kalaignar Karunanidhi who was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 2008 amended

schemes that were proclaimed for the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu. He

established a welfare board for the transgenders which was not only the first in the state

but in the country.

Tamil Nadu State government has shown unprecedented efforts to address the social

protection needs of aravani or thirunangai (male-to-female transgender people). In

April 2008, Tamil Nadu Aravanigal (Transgender) Welfare Board was formed as the

nodal body to address the social protection needs of transgender people. TGWB has

introduced TG-specific schemes of its own and has facilitated transgender people’s

access to existing social protection schemes of the State and Central government.

(Chakrapani)

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“A confluence of several factors contributed to the formation for Tamil Nadu Transgender

Welfare Board (TGWB). These factors ranged from gain in the political support as a

legitimate minority, increase in the acceptance of the general public and mass media, and

advocacy efforts of transgender community leaders and activists and civil society”

(Chakrapani). The joint efforts brought in by the political influence for the Transgender

Welfare Board sets a model for other states in the country to act in a similar way towards the

transgender community.

The board’s objectives are catering to the primary needs of the transgender community.

Fulfilling the primary needs will accentuate the standard of living of the community and will

leave them with the ability to meet their further needs.

TGWB addresses these needs as:

- an agency that designs and implements schemes exclusively for TG people

focusing on income/employment, housing, education and health care needs of TG

people.

- a platform to bring various government departments together to discuss what

can be done to address these basic needs by allowing access to government’s pre-

existing services, schemes, or institutions for TG people – thus trying to end the

social exclusion and marginalization of TG populations. (Chakrapani)

The benefits of the Transgender Welfare Board are being benefited by the transgenders

and is evident when the beneficiaries project it through the media. One such article that

discloses the beneficiaries of the welfare board is the testimony of a transwoman named

Saroja, that has been recorded on Mr.Karunanidhi’s demise in the year 2018.

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“Beyond just being respected, we could enjoy government benefits because he gave

us voting rights,” she said. Having a voter ID, with their gender on it facilitated them

to apply for other ID proofs, she said.

A grateful Saroja, said she now lived in a settlement created for them by the late

DMK leader.

“Without his inclusive welfare schemes, we would have lived in huts and other

areas which made us vulnerable to exploitation,” she said, crying.

It was during Karunanidhi’s rule in 2008, Tamil Nadu established the country’s

first-ever Transgender Persons Welfare Board.

The board gave recognition to the third-gender for the first time through the

“Aravani identity card”, allowing them to apply for family cards, voter IDs, and other

documents. (Ramakrishnan)

Another article is about M Radha, a transwoman who contested in elections; who

implemented her life with the beneficiaries awarded by the welfare board. M Radha is a

post graduate degree holder aged 38 and is the first transgender candidate to contest in

elections in Tamil Nadu.

If she feels empowered to stand for election, says Radha, it’s because of something

that happened in 2008: Her gender got a name.

Until then, people used terms such as “ussu,“”pottai” (“impotent man”), “oothu“—

all derogatory—for transgender persons. Things changed that year with the arrival of M

Karunanidhi as Tamil Nadu chief minister. He established the country’s

first transgender person welfare board and later provided third gender people an

identity card. (Merelli)

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A cis gender too acclaims the changes brought about by DMK for the transgender’s

existence.

Nila, an advisor of Radha’s and a transgender NGO worker, agrees that the official

recognition in the label thirunangai was important not just to educate and change

people outside the transgender community, but even inside. A majority of the

transgender people in her community prefer being referred to as “third gender,” she

says, and being referred to as thirunangai empowered them to take pride in that.

(Merelli)

Another notable person from DMK who brought significant changes for the welfare of the

transgenders is Mr.Tiruchi Siva. Mr.Siva is a Member of since 2014 from Tamil

Nadu. He was responsible for passing the Transgender Persons Bill (a Private Member’s bill)

in Rajya Sabha. The bill was passed with the objective of advocating the rights of

transgenders in the country in the year 2014.

The bill was the outcome of a single person’s attitude; Mr.Siva’s thought of action for the

transgenders reflects the virtues that he has imbibed from the DMK party.

Siva says it was his party’s ideology that motivated him to take up cudgels on their

behalf. “The DMK is a party that believes in social reforms and working for the

downtrodden,” he said. Over the years, Tiruchi Siva and his wife Devikarani, who

passed away in August, frequently invited transgender people to their home for meals.

(Chandra)

Mr.Siva’s Dravidian principles have made him pass the bill to bring about a lifetime

change for the transgenders spread across the country. His deeds for the transgenders is found

to be implanted in him and in his family for a long time.

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The bill proposes to fulfil all the primary needs of transgenders. “Mr Siva’s Bill has 58

clauses in 10 chapters dealing with different aspects ranging from social inclusion, rights and

entitlements, financial and legal aid, education, skill development to prevention of abuse,

violence and exploitation” (Gandhi and Ramachandran).

One of the spectators who witnessed the passing of the bill expressed her gladness in the

execution of the Transgender Persons Bill. “New Delhi-based activist and community

member Simran Shaikh, who watched from the gallery as the Rajya Sabha passed the Bill by

voice vote, said: “This Bill’s passage is a remarkable thing. It is part of a long drawn struggle

including the Supreme Court’s judgment last year” ” (Gandhi and Ramachandran). The bill

also provides an opportunity for the cis genders to treat transgenders equally with respect and

without any bias.

There is also a mention about Mr.Siva and The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill in the

transwoman, A.Revathi’s memoir A Life in Trans Activism. The bill is being referred by

Revathi in her memoir in chapter 21 titled “A Ray of Hope”.

One such recent promising development is the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill,

2015, the first private member bill passed in the Rajya Sabha in the last 36 years, on

April 24, 2015 by Mr Tiruchy Siva, Member of Parliament from DMK. In another first,

it is a bill introduced by a legislator who was not acting on behalf of the executive.

(Revathi 235).

Revathi in her memoir has explicitly discussed about the policies of the bill. She has

enumerated the various significances of the bill. As a part of the transgender community,

Revathi affirms that the bill will bring substantial benefits to the transgenders. She insists on

the bill being made permanent without any bias. The core objectives of the bill that Revathi

has furnished are: “The Bill rests on the following core principles of equality and dignity:

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non-discrimination, participation in society, equality of opportunity, accessibility and

acceptance of transgender persons as part of human diversity” (Revathi 236).

Revathi also shares in her memoir about the opportunity rendered to her by the DMK

party to voice out and represent the requirements of the society. It exhibits the party’s

involvement in listening to the voice of the victims that delineates the party’s objective

attitude towards people.

On April 13, 2013, I was invited as a special speaker in the Women’s Revolution

Conference organized by the political party Dravida Kazhagam, in Coimbatore. I spoke

about the human rights violations experienced by transgender people in their homes, at

school and in society in general. I even suggested that the Tamil Nadu Aravani Welfare

Board be renamed as Tamil Nadu Transgender Welfare Board and that it reach out to

trans men as well. The members of the Dravida Kazhagam received my suggestions

and presented them to the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu. (Revathi 235)

The DMK party continues to voice out for the transgender community even in 2019 when

the party is not ruling the state and even after the demise of Kalaignar Karunanidhi. Mr.

K.Stalin continues to carry the baton of concern and care for the transgenders and other

downtrodden people from his illustrious father. In a recent article in The Hindu, the DMK

party has announced that it has felt the need to provide space for the transgenders in the

political arena and enrol them as members in their party.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, DMK women’s wing secretary

Kanimozhi, who has been campaigning for transpersons’ rights, said that though some

members of the community were affiliated to certain political parties, the DMK felt

there was a need for providing them a space in the political spectrum. (Jesudasan)

The lineage of the DMK party and its leaders is taken forward by the next level of leaders.

It can be noted that the foreword thoughts contemplated by Mr.Karunanidhi for transgenders

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is not left behind rather it is devised in different angles in different periods. “ “It is a

continuation of what Thalaivar Kalaignar (late CM Karunanidhi) did for the welfare of

transpersons,” she added” (Jesudasan).

The recent announcement of DMK is welcomed by its beneficiaries, the transgender

community.

Jaya, general manager of Sahodaran, an association of transpersons, welcomed the

decision and recalled that the DMK government had recognised the community before

any other regime did in the country. “ At a time when there is vote bank politics

everywhere, the DMK has taken this step for us, who number between 50,000 and 1

lakh in the State,” she said. (Jesudasan)

Jaya also reiterates the vision of Mr.Karunanidhi for transgenders in her report to the

newspaper. “Jaya added that it was former Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi who constituted a

Board for the welfare of transpersons” (Jesudasan). The transgender community has not

forgotten the benefits proclaimed by the DMK party for them. The community refrain the

niceties gained through DMK in several circumstances.

The paper has thus enclosed the remarkable relief measures pronounced by the Dravida

Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for the Welfare of the Transgenders of Tamil Nadu. These

amenities are provided to build the transgender community. All of the welfare measures are

assuring the transgender victims the primary needs to equip them for the initial stages of

development.

The primary needs such as education and acceptance assured by the welfare measures is

vital for the transgenders to exist in any circumstances. They provide transgenders

independence and security to live life despite facing denial from their family members.

Acquiring primary skills enable the transgenders to build or develop their secondary skills to

meet the secondary needs of their life.

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The paper has thus mapped the remarkable efforts of DMK to develop the transgender

community of the state and the rehabilitation that the efforts have brought in the lives of the

transgenders through testimonies and life instances.

Works Cited

Chakrapani, Venkatesan M.D. “The Case of Tamil Nadu Transgender Welfare Board:

Insights for Developing Practical Models of Social Protection Programmes for

Transgender People in India.” United Nations Development Programme, 2012,

www.undp.org/content/dam/india/docs/HIV_and_development/the-case-of-tamil-nadu-

transgender-welfare-board--insights-for-d.pdf.

Chandra, Parul. “Why Tiruchi Siva Moved a Private Member's Bill to Ensure Rights for

Transgender People.” Scroll.in, 25 April 2015, www.scroll.in/article/723205/why-

tiruchi-siva-moved-a-private-members-bill-to-ensure-rights-for-transgender-people.

Gandhi, Jatin, and Smriti Kak Ramachandran. “RS Passes Bill on Transgender Rights.” The

Hindu, 4 May 2016, WWW.THEHINDU.COM/NEWS/NATIONAL/RAJYA-

SABHA-PASSES-PRIVATE-BILL-ON-

TRANSGENDERS/ARTICLE7138056.ECE.

Jesudasan, Dennis S. “DMK’s Decision to Open its Doors to Transpersons Hailed.” The

Hindu [Bengaluru], 11 Nov. 2019, pp. 4.

Merelli, Annalisa. “Thirunangai: The First Transgender Political Candidate in India’s

Tamil Nadu Shows What’s in a Name.” Quartz India, 19 April 2019,

www.qz.com/india/1597439/tamil-nadus-first-transgender-woman-candidate-in-

election-2019/.

Ramakrishnan, Sushmitha. “M Karunanidhi: Transwomen Recall Man Who Gave Them

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Identity.” The New Indian Express, 9 Aug. 2018,

www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/aug/09/m-karunanidhi-

transwomen-recall-man-who-gave-them-identity-1855245.html.

Revathi, A. A Life in Trans Activism. Translated by Nandini Murali, Zubaan, 2016.

Tripathi, Laxminarayan. Me Hijra, Me Laxmi. Translated by R. Raj Rao and P.G. Joshi,

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