Press Release - 4 NOV 2008 (Hijras give flowers to Police)

04th Nov 2008, Bengaluru

Dear Madam/Sir,

Sub: Through Gandhigiri sexual minorities and hijras distribute flowers to police.

Campaign for Sexworkers and Sexual Minorities Rights have organised a week long protest against the brutal violence on human rights defender by the Banashankari police personnel on 20th November 2008.

On 4th November 2008 through Gandhigiri Hijras and sexual minorities visited important police stations across Bengaluru and gave flowers, leaflets, reports and information on sexual minorities to the police, to sensitise them on their issues. Most of the police people were happy to receive flowers and information from sexual minorities. They assured their support to sexual minorities and said that they had to take this action due to the complaints they received. To this sexual minorities responded saying the guilty should be punished whether they are sexual minorities or genaral public. For a few people’s fault in the community punishing entire community is wrong and cannot brand a community as criminals. They stated this clearly to the police. Enclosed is the list of police stations visited by sexual minorities.

On 3rd November 2008 CSMR distributed more than one lakh leaflets about this issue all over Bangalore in 35 locations. Leafletting was done by sexual minorities and human rights activists to gain support from the general public by speaking with them one to one. After reading the leaflets many people have come farward to support the struggle including Auto Driver’s union, well known advocate Sunil and Mr. Mohan from an Ad company. Different people expressed that hijras should not be marginalised and left at the fringes of the society. He openly expressed his solidarity to our struggle.

On 2nd November 2008 Hijras and sexual minorities held community meetings in 8 locations of Bangalore and discussed in detail the blatant human rights violations perpetrated by the police of Banashankari station on the human rights defenders. They said in this hour of crisis they would come together strongly and protest the human rights violations by creating public awareness about sexual minority community.

On November 1st 2008 on the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava, a medical camp was organized in Kamalanagar Slum from 10.30am to 4.30 pm. In the medical camp there were 4 doctors, 5 nurses, 2 lab technicians ( sexual minorities) and 22 hijra social workers who rendered service. Society looks down upon hijras and sexual minorities as criminals, immoral, insensitive, inferior, rude etc. Through this camp they proved how sensitive and caring they are. The people who had come to the medical camp voiced that such programmes should be conducted regularly and were highly appriciative of this effort.

On 7th November 2008 groups from different cities including Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta, Calicut, Hyderabad, Chennai etc are organising protests acrooss India as part of National day of Action condemning the police brutal violence on sexuality minorities.

Future events:
05 Nov, 5.30PM to 6.30PM - Human Chain near Mahatma Gandhi Statue, M.G Road, Bengaluru
06 Nov, 5PM to 7PM - Women in Black near Banashankari BDA Complex, Bengaluru
07 Nov, 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm - Public Rally and Public Meeting

We request you to kindly pubish this information in your publication and support our campaign.

For further information contact :- Sumathi – 9845165143, Lakshmi: 9845113792 & Gurukiran: 9880365692.

In Solidarity


Revathi
Director (Sangama)
on behalf of CSMR

List of police stations visited by sexual minorities on 4th November 2008 through Gandhigiri

1. City Police Commissioner's Office
2. ACP, DCP, SP (Bangalore), IGP Prison
3. Beggars Colony
4. Jayanagar Police Station
5. Ashok Nagar Police Station
6. Banashankari Police Station
7. Basavanagudi Police Station
8. Chikkapete Police Station
9. City Market Police Station
10. Commercial Street Police station
11. Girinagara Police Station
12. Upparpete Police Station
13. Hebbal Police Station
14. J.C.Nagar Police Station
15. J.P.Nagar Police Station
16. Kalasipalya Police Station
17. Koramangala Police Station
18. Ulsoor Gate Police Station
19. Madivala Police Station
20. Magadi Police Station
21. Malleshwaram Police Station
22. Peenya Police Station
23. Rajajinagar Police Station
24. R.T.Nagar
25. Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station
26. K.R.Puram
27. Mico Layout Police Station
28. K.R.Puram Police Station
29. Frazer Town Police Station
30. Jalahalli Police Station
31. Shivajinagar Police Station
32. KSRTC Out post Police Station
33. Electronic City Police Station
34. Yalahanka Police Station
35. Wilson Garden Police Station
36. Byyappanahalli Police Station
37. Shrinagar Police station
38. Sanjay Nagar Police station
39. Vivek Nagar Police station
40. Yashwanthpur Police station