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Diaries

A different kind of road rage

Two traffic policewomen talk about their jobs, how citizens pose many challenges and why a little respect would be nice.
by Nidhi Qazi

Part 4 of the ‘Women’ diaries

It’s a normal day. Commuters are going to work. Vehicles are inching ahead of others to reach their destination as fast as possible. There is heavy traffic at junctions.

And there is the traffic cop stopping commuters who have broken the road laws in some way. Further down the road, there is a woman officer stopping vehicles, checking licenses, issuing penalty receipts. But wait. Within a few minutes, a driver breaks the signal and rushes past in a jiffy despite the woman constable’s stopping him.

“Many a times, we women are not taken seriously. People break the rules often when they see a woman traffic cop,” laments Madhavi Naik (name changed), a head constable at a junction in one of the central suburbs of the city. Madhavi’s day starts at 7 am and lasts till 3 pm, and she is on the roads for all that time. She adds that the job has its challenges like all other jobs; but as a woman, it’s the perspective of people around that is the most challenging.

“People still feel that the police force is best suited to men. Though my family is supportive, my husband takes care of children, packs their tiffin, drops them to school…but society still questions my choice of job and feels, ‘Aurat kya handle karegi traffic, kaise kaam karegi’”.

An aside here: when I was chasing this story, my request for an interview was turned down several times by the women, saying, “Hum kya baat karenge, humein permission nahin hai. Aap bade sahab ya kisi male constable se baat karo.” Nevertheless, I was able to hold clandestine conversations, albeit, faced with risks of getting caught!

Coming back to the women traffic police, what is a typical day in their lives like? “On a daily basis, we regulate traffic, ensure smooth movement for preventing accidents, penalise those who violate rules and also, at times, when traffic signals are not functioning properly, we inform the companies to look into the matter,” says Smriti Desai (name changed), a head constable at a Bandra junction. But performing these duties is easier said than done, as the traffic police face problems at both the micro and macro level. As Smriti puts it, “How do you ensure that people don’t violate rules when they don’t know the rules in the first place? Worse, they are not ready to accept that they have violated the rules.”

Madhavi says, “Out of, say 100 commuters, there are only two or three commuters who will accept their mistake and instead of arguing with us, actually pay the fine. We are humiliated almost every time but now we are all used to it. On a usual day, if you catch a commuter, he or she will either argue endlessly and say things like “Aap uniform ka faayda utha rahehain, humari koi galti nahin hai.” But Madhavi and her colleagues have learnt to laugh such allegations off.

The big picture is also a worrying one. “Over the years, the number of vehicles has grown but the width of the road remains the same. Moreover, whatever spaces exist are also taken up by vendors who come to Mumbai in search of livelihood. It is on these roads that the traffic police have to run the show,” says Smriti.

According to traffic police, around 300 to 400 vehicles get registered in a day in Greater Mumbai. The traffic police also laments the under-utilisation of the BEST bus transport.

Further, since there is a manpower crunch in the RTOs (Regional Transport Office), this gap provides an opportunity for agents. “People lack awareness about rules, also because they get their licenses made with the help of these agents and thus, they needn’t pass the driving test. There are no checks undertaken by the license-issuing authority – how does anyone know if the applicant is eligible to drive?” asks Smriti.

Citizen consciousness, or the lack of it…

“From traffic rules to traffic itself, it is the citizen’s attitude which really matters,” feels Madhavi.

She raises further concerns: “Why don’t pedestrians use the skywalks which are meant for their safety? Why can’t people use public transport or carpool if they are going in the same direction? Why do commuters not talk to us properly? We are public servants and thus deserve some basic courtesy and respect. For us, the women, it is worse. Even women defaulters look down upon us and feel that we are intentionally insulting them by penalising them.”

But all this said, these women also feel that they are respected and given total co-operation by their male counterparts. “There are days when I feel, ‘Why am I doing this job?’ Then I feel proud about being a public servant, a part of this system,” says Madhavi.

Though citizens need to take precaution, be better aware of rules, and the pedestrian’s sense of judgement needs to improve, these women also feel that they, as police need to engage with the younger generation on three pillars of road safety – Education, Enforcement and Engineering.

Meanwhile, a little respect, please?

The Women’s diaries celebrate the spirit of women on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8 every year. Look out for Part 5 next: ‘Does gender equality exist in Mumbai?’

(Pictures courtesy Nidhi Qazi)

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Diaries

Women on the high seas

Three women working in the Merchant Navy have battled sexism, back-breaking work and unprecedented challenges in the line of duty.
by Nidhi Qazi

Part 1 of the ‘Women’s Day’ series.

A woman on the seas? Now, that’s a novel idea. But, don’t let Ankita Srivastava, Mandira Nayak and Neha Rao hear you say that.

The field of marine engineering is a highly competitive and tough one, peopled as it is with men who are spunky and difficult to faze. So how does a woman enter this hallowed space, and more to the point, how does she survive?

The Merchant Navy is a field fleet of merchant vessels that areused for transporting cargo and has two departments – the Navigation department, responsible for safely taking the ship from one place to another, and the Engine department, responsible for safe operation and maintenance of all the machinery (both mechanical and electrical) on board the ship.

So who are Ankita, Mandira and Neha?

The 30-something Ankita, based in Lucknow, is currently working with Campbell Shipping as Chief Engineer. She did her Marine Engineering from Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune. “I started my career as an Engine Cadet and after completing my sea time as Junior Engineer, I passed my Class 4 exam and subsequently the Class 2 and Class 1 exam. These exams are conducted by DG Shipping, India. Anyone seeking promotion to various ranks needs to clear these exams and acquire licenses to sail on the higher ranks.”

Says 28-year-old Mandira, who hails from Madhubani district of Bihar, “I am a Seismic Engineer, in WesternGeco Company which provides seismic acquisition technologies and techniques for subsurface imaging in any environment.” She has been an engineer since August 2007.

28-year old Neha, a resident of Mumbai, has been on the ship’s Maintenance Department which looks after the machineries for propulsion, electricity generation, air conditioning, refrigeration, sewage treatment, making fresh water, etc. “I started as an Engine Cadet, went on to become Junior Engineer and then Fourth Engineer. As a Fourth Engineer, I was in charge of the generators so had to carry out maintenance and repair on it. I was also in-charge of bunker operations. Bunker is the fuel of the ship. That is separate from the cargo that we carry. I was responsible for the loading operations of the bunker fuel and also its day-to-day monitoring.”

While Ankita and Mandira are still in the same field, Neha has shifted gears to pursue another career option.

The early days

While all three agree that the job is very different and challenging since no two days are the same, they also agree that as women, the challenges are compounded by other factors.

As Neha puts it, “I used to get too much attention from my colleagues. I was like a celebrity on the ship. I couldn’t fart without the whole ship (25 people) knowing about it. Half the time people kept falling in love with me! On a serious note, it is very tough to live normally when you know you are being scrutinised and judged more because you are a woman.”

In Mandira’s experience, since the field is male-dominated, there is constant pressure to perform in terms of physical strength and technical competence. “Even companies arriving for college placements were not keen on recruiting girls. We had to push ourselves harder to prove our competence.” She mentions that the general perception is that girls are not good at technical jobs and to further this, “our batchmates would tell us, ‘Seat kha rahi ho tum log, kyun ho yahan?’”

“But one needs to be strong willed and determined to not let all these perceptions and challenges affect you. If you enjoy your work, there are no limits to what you can learn and achieve. As a woman, what is important is to know your limits, have the required proper knowledge, skills and the right attitude,” says Ankita.

Already under constant questioning from people on the ship, matters were no different off it. People would make comments like, ‘Ship pe safe nahin hota, kitne aadmiyon ke beech rahegi?’ “People didn’t even know the nature of our work, but would still comment,” says Neha.

A typical day at work

Ankita’s usual day starts with the ship sailing from 7 to 8 am. “Everyone in the engine department meets in the control room to discuss the maintenance plan for the day. After going through various procedures and discussions, we go on to complete our job.” A job can be completed in a short while, whereas another job or some unforeseen problem can demand more time. She adds, “If all goes well, the day ends at around 6 pm. By that time, we are free and have ample time to enjoy with our shipmates, reading, watching movies, playing games, and hitting the gym – all of which are available on the ship. But when the ship is in port, the work can vary and can sometimes be very hectic as there can be inspections by authorities or maintenance of propulsion machinery or handling (operation and maintenance) of the cargo gear and other major jobs that have been planned.”

Neha’s typical day would start at 8 am with her reporting to the engine room. She would then be assigned the ‘Watch Task’, which involved either completion of maintenance work on generators or helping others with big machineries. “We would then break for lunch at 3 pm and again start the watch from 8 pm to 12 am,” she remembers.

However, the pressure to prove oneself is such that many fall into the trap of proving themselves so determinedly, that is sometimes exceeds the bounds of common sense.

Mandira recounts a case in point. “In our college practicals, for the tasks which were automated and required no manual work, boys would lift equipment to prove their strength. In our professors’ times, all tasks were to be done manually, but things had changed for us, but still the boys preferred doing the same manually in order to show that they were physically superior to us. In one such incident, a male professor sarcastically asked one of our female batchmates if she could lift a machine. She actually lifted it – it could otherwise be done through automation. Though nothing happened to her, it could have – she could have suffered a slip disc!”

What’s more, one’s partners need to be supportive if one has to succeed in this career. But that doesn’t always happen. “My ex-boyfriend would tell me, ‘There are girls who left sailing for their partners. Why can’t you?’” says Mandira.

Career high points…

Ankita’s career high points till now have been when she passed the exam for Chief Engineer’s license (Class 1) and got promoted later on. “I was aware that not many women had made it to that level and was happy that I was able to stay that long and make a place for myself in a male-dominated field,” she says.

Neha says, “My high point was when I cleared the Class 4 exams which we have to take before we can sail as independent Watchkeepers or Fourth Engineers. These exams were really difficult and I cleared them in a single try. I was also appreciated for my work a couple of times.”

…and the challenges…

“The biggest challenge is that you have to stay away from family and friends for months together. The job is physically and mentally demanding most of the times,” says Ankita.

Adds Mandira, “Being stuck in water for five weeks can be frustrating at times. Moreover, the 12-hour grill with operational and financial pressures in order to seek the company’s profitability keeps us busy and tired.” She adds that the nature of the job is such that one has to deal with rough weather, sea sickness, and disturbed sleep patterns on a regular basis.

Neha says, “I had to stay away from home, friends, boyfriend and any form of social life. Naturally, I would feel totally lost when I used to go back home – it was like the rest of the world had moved ahead and I was still six months behind.”

These factors aside, the engineers also face the dangers of natural calamities like hurricanes, high waves and pirates. As Mandira recounts, “Few months ago we lost a colleague in a heavy wave.” She adds, “We have to retrieve the ship gears in rough weather, and you may drown in the sea. Also, pirates are dangerous as they are everywhere and under the heavy influence of drugs and alcohol. We are trained to deal with them.”

Despite all the above challenges and perceptions, the career opens up a lot of space for experience and exposure, feel these women.

“Since my colleagues are from different nationalities, it is fun to be among a diverse group of co-employees. This is also a company strategy in order to prevent dominance of a particular nationality,” says Mandira. The field also offers the chance to travel the world.

As Ankita puts it, “At the end of the day, it gives a sense of achievement doing something the right way, of fixing things with your own hands. The satisfaction after trouble shooting a problem on your own gives a satisfaction which I think no other job can give. The effort, challenges and dangers aside, it’s all worth it.”

The Women’s Day series celebrates the spirit of women on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8 every year. Look out for Part 2 next: ‘Trust in God, but carry pepper spray’.

(Pictures courtesy Ankita Srivastava and Mandira Nayak)

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Deal with it

Commuter groups demand better travel for Mumbaikars

Two organisations based in Mumbai observed Commuters Protest Day against the Railways’ apathy towards Mumbai commuters’ woes and long-standing demands.
by Nidhi Qazi

Yesterday, a young boy in his 20s fell on the space between up and down tracks at Chembur station, from a CST-bound train on Harbour Line after hitting an electricity pole. He was then rushed to Sion Hospital.

crowdsWhy did he fall? “Because he was standing on the footboard, teasing passengers on the platforms and did not see the pole and thus got hit by it,” said a constable at Chembur station. He further added, “In the 10 months that I have been stationed here, I have constantly been hearing about such incidents. On an average, two to four people die like this every week. Most of these people are young, between 16 to 25 years of age. And they hail from three main areas – Mankhurd, Govandi and Kurla. The young boys from these areas are famous for their antics.”

The fact that a lot of young people can be spotted doing antics on the moving train or atop it may be worrisome, but it is equally important to see beyond the issue and question why they do it. Is it something they do just for fun or really, is it because they have no space inside the compartments, and are forced to stand (or rather hang) by the footboard?

Yesterday’s incident may not be a new occurrence by any means, but it was still significant as it happened on a day that was being observed as Commuters’ Protest Day – an initiative of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Pravaas Adhikar Andolan Samiti (PAAS) covering 111 suburban stations in Mumbai’s Western, Central and Harbour lines.

As Preethy Sekhar, Maharashtra Secretary of DYFI put it, “We stationed our volunteers at various stations on all the three lines who distributed badges to the commuters. These badges are a symbol of protest against the ill conditions commuters face daily. Peak-hour trains are overcrowded three or four times the carrying capacity. Passengers fall off from running trains and fall on the tracks while trying to board. Death and loss of limbs have become daily occurrences.”

The two organisations laid out a list of demands: 

– Increase the number of services on war-footing in all the suburban routes. Procure new rakes for giving relief to commuters.

– All local trains on Western, Central, Harbour and Thane-Vashi routes must have 15 coaches.

– All platforms at all stations must be extended to suit 15 coach trains.

– Start suburban train services (EMU) in Dahanu Road-Vasai-Diva-Panvel route.

– Stop the practice of late-running of trains. Resolve problems in signalling system and deploy sufficient number of running staff.

– Bring about comprehensive commuter safety measures.

– Conduct survey of platform heights urgently at all stations and make adjustments wherever necessary.

– Avoid the danger of stampedes; build adequate number of foot over bridges and subways.

– Provide 24 hours ambulance service at all railway stations.

– Conduct safety audits of all railway stations and adopt accident prevention measures.

– Provide necessary passenger amenities at all railways stations.

– Ensure women’s safety in local trains. All ladies coaches must remain reserved for all 24 hours.

– Police personnel must be deployed in ladies coaches without fail.

– Railway board must conduct an immediate assessment of all projects for Mumbai suburban sector and implement all proposals on war-footing.

The organisations will follow up with the Railways on these demands.

(Pictures courtesy Nidhi Qazi and Sadiq Basha)

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Deal with it

Apni Shala: Where children see life

A city-based start-up works with children of BMC schools to impart important, essential life skills through games, stories and drama.
by Nidhi Qazi

That life skills are important, we all know. We can proudly look back at our schooling and say, yes, we did have a platform to show our potential. But wait – do all of us get a chance to see our life skills at work in school? Did all of us get a chance to really know ourselves? If these questions disturb you, read on.

Eleven-year-old Nilesh studies in a BMC school. His classmates stay away from him. There was a time when he didn’t talk in class, was withdrawn and showed physical aggression towards his classmates. His father is an alcoholic, while his mother passed away. Being the eldest child, he has to take care of the rest of his siblings. Then ‘Apni Shala’ happened to him.

A start-up, ‘Apni Shala’ started working with Nilesh’s school since January 2013. Since then, Nilesh is a changed boy. He participates in class, his self-esteem has improved and his classmates are much closer to him.

More such stories of children and their problems, is what Apni Shala aims to address. A team of three – Amrita Nair, Anukriti Goyal and Swetha Ranganathan, all passionate about education and all three being alumni of TISS, Mumbai – came together and formed Apni Shala in 2011. Initially, the team started with the idea of setting up a library and building skills through stories, when they realised the potential of other potent media such as games and drama. “Our project was to set up libraries and we did that. But once we did the need assessment, schools expressed a need for Life Skills Education (LSE). And thus, we have now started providing the same to the schools we work with,” says Anukriti, who looks after finances and fund-raising for the start-up.

Apni Shala’s LSE programme has modules based on various life-skills prescribed by the WHO, such as making responsible decisions, teamwork and co-operation, solving problems, understanding emotions etc. These modules are facilitated by all three team members; even while each of them looks at separate aspects of the programme like design, content, fund-raising, strategy, communications etc.With the LSE programme running in three BMC schools and three community centres, Apni Shala works in Sion, Chembur, Oshiwara, Colaba, Worli and Reay Road. Their team also consists of an advisory board of curriculum consultants, psychologists and experts. They get funded through various grants.

Why Apni Shala?

Why do we need life-skills building in the first place? “In theory, life skills help build positive attitude. And thus, when we take it to practice, the skills learnt can be used in behaviour. So, we are aiming to provide an environment where a child can get better skills to face situations. Thus, LSE becomes important as more skills in a child’s environment can have a better and positive impact on his or her life,” says Swetha, who looks after communications, monitoring and evaluation of the programme.The need for LSE also stems from the fact that mainstream education overlooks the need for children to express and enjoy learning. Take the story of Sunita, who studies in a BMC school and who lives in a hostel, away from her parents. “Sunita was always disinterested in our programme, she was also shy and would not participate. But now she has become so expressive and enjoys drama,” says Swetha.

She adds, “Yes, some of the schools do give a platform, but kids from many schools do not gain enough experience and exposure. These schools do not teach much about these life-skills. And thus, we want LSE to be incorporated well in pedagogy. Even though there are separate books now on life-skills, how much of it being used in schools really?” 

The challenges

As a start-up, they are looking for more manpower, on all three fronts – administration, front-end and organisation.

Also, one session in a week for one school is a frequency that worries the team. “Although something is better than nothing, we still have to make our programme spread over a week rather than just a weekly one,” says Swetha. This becomes a challenge as “many of the schools do not consider the programme as ‘academic’ and thus it becomes a challenge to convince them.”

The team also feels that it becomes challenging to quantify the impact made by the programme, in front of funders. “To what extent can we quantify? Moreover, our assessment is based on observations. We try being as objective in our observations as we can, “ says Swetha.

In the pipeline…

Though the LSE programme is their core offering, Apni Shala plans to get into training teachers for facilitating life-skills and delivering the same through the existing modules.

They have also launched merchandise comprising bags, mugs and diaries which have quotes on life skills printed on them, and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) kits for children. “Besides fund-raising, these products are aimed at creating awareness among the general public about life skills and their relevance in the lives of children,” says Anukriti.

While they are based in Mumbai, Apni Shala is also looking for collaboration in remote areas. It recently conducted a life skills workshop in Anandwan School, Chandrapur district in Maharashtra.

To understand the impact of their work better, Apni Shala is also thinking of ways to engage with the parents of the kids, to get a better sense of their work.

Apni Shala will conduct a workshop on ‘Interactive theatre’ for children at the Kala Ghoda Festival on February 7 from 5.30 to 7 pm at The Museum Gardens. To volunteer, share ideas or give expertise on building the start-up, visithttp://www.apnishala.org or call them at +91 8454822690.

(Pictures courtesy Apni Shala)

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Hum log

The all-in-one autorickshaw guy

A resourceful autowallah in a city known for awful drivers, Deepak Shewale is clued in to passengers’s likes and preferences.
by Nidhi Qazi

In a city full of autorickshaws, there is one among a few which stands out. And why? Because the machine, the mode of transport is more than that – a machine – for its owner Deepak Shewale, an autorickshaw driver in the city for the past 13 years.

Deepak’s auto is anything but boring. From inspirational quotes stuck on the insides of the auto, to a tablet, to mobile recharge vouchers, Deepak has a lot to offer. It doesn’t stop here. Passengers also get the privilege of reading the day’s newspapers, fresh drinking water, and even medical care, with basic medicines like Crocin and Combiflam on offer. He has also put up pictures of a few celebrities how have boarded his auto in the past.

For the 35-year-old Deepak, a resident of Khar-Bandra, and a native of Baramati in Maharashtra, his auto has garnered him popularity from passengers. He says, “There has been an increase in the number of passengers. Moreover I also have passengers who call me regularly for services and have now become my fixed clients.”

Why is his auto so different from the others that ply on Mumbai’s roads? He says, “After the 26/11 terror attacks, I understood the true meaning of emergency. I got inspired to do something for my passengers.” The amenities in his auto serve his passengers and him both. For instance, the tab helps him navigate the city better – he uses Google Maps to reach his destination and also offers the service to his customers – besides entertaining present company with songs and movies.

The passengers also have the convenience of emergency helpline numbers. But what makes Deepak really stand out from most others of his creed is that he plies passengers who are in need even after working hours. “Even if I am done for the day and headed back home, I take passengers in an emergency aboard,” says Deepak, who mostly plies around Bandra and Khar.

Another interesting aspect of his auto is the variety of posters and quotes he has put up, ranging from the philosophical to the funny, and from the religious to the informative. Here’s how one goes: ‘Gussa kya hai? Kisi ki galti ki saza khud ko dena (What is anger? It is punishing yourself for someone else’s mistake)’. Another one reads, ‘Think good, do good’. A little fun one says, ‘Paise ko jeab mein rakho, dimaag mein nahi (Keep money in your wallet, not your head).’ There’s also a poster displaying scientific trivia, a nod to Deepak’s interest in the Discovery channel.

Deepak was recently felicitated by the RTO and the Rotary Club of Mumbai for his ‘Social work for Community’.

The social media fad has also caught this auto driver, and he also has a page on Facebook. “A customer gave me this idea so I created a page on Facebook. It doesn’t really help me but it is okay,” he says.

With an income of Rs 20,000 a month, don’t all the amenities cost him extra? “No, because most of them are a one-time investment like the TV, the tab and the music system. Moreover, my passengers feel happy that I provide all these services and say that this is a really nice initiative.”

Deepak also takes inputs from his passengers. For instance, the quote, ‘Give Respect , Get Respect’ was changed to ‘Respect is commanded, not demanded’ when “a passenger pointed out that there is a better way of saying the same thing.”

What is that keeps him going at all of this? He grins, “Initially it was to help people; now also it’s the same but it has become of a hobby which I like pursuing. I keep thinking of ways to improve the auto and the experience of my passengers.”

Shewale plans to fix a cooler to fight off the heat and install a CCTV in the coming days. “CCTVs can come in handy in keeping a watch and being vigilant in the case of fishy passengers,” he explains, adding that he is also thinking of garnering advertisements for a better income.

For the time being, though, he prefers to keep going in his extremely colourful autorickshaw. As he takes my leave, he adjusts his converted recliner seat and drives off with a smile.

To book Deepak Shewale’s auto, call 97686 17980.

(Pictures courtesy Nidhi Qazi)

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Deal with it

‘Police harassment has already started since the verdict’

Three gay activists tell us what the recent SC verdict criminalising gay sex really means for them and the community.
by Nidhi Qazi

The Supreme Court judgement on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 prohibiting “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” came as a shock to everyone. This came four years after the Delhi HC’s 2009 judgment that decriminalised homosexual intercourse as provided in section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and ruled that such sex between two consenting adults in private would not be an offence.

In the wake of this, there has been an outcry in the media, academicians and the community of the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, inter-sex). To closely understand the issue from the community’s perspective, The Metrognome spoke to Ankur Srivastava, researcher with The Humsafar Trust (HST); Priya, Co-editor of queer blog, The Gaysi Family and Ankit Bhuptani, Founder, Gay and Lesbian Vaishnav Association, Mumbai.

Q: What does the verdict mean to you?

Ankur: Well, I would like to answer this on two levels. The first is me, as a professional and a student who has been engaged on sexuality studies and aligned with the movement. In this space I feel that we all have been pushed many years back in the struggle; and the now need of the hour is to re-strategise and ensure all subgroups of the LGBTI community fight this together. I also feel disappointed with the judiciary, where I had my hopes and faith on. Secondly, at a personal level though I see my friends standing by in support; I also feel more conscious of the fact that how the continuous telecast of this news is impacting the ways in which my family who is aware of my sexuality is interpreting it. I do not feel scared or threatened by it rather my commitment towards working on the issue is strengthened.

Priya: This verdict only means more work because there is no going back. When one has seen the blue blue sky, one cannot go back to the dark tower. SC made two points that impacted me the most. A) Only 200 cases of discrimination and harassment of LGBT people by the law have been recorded in the last 150 years. B) LGBT only forms a miniscule part of the population and hence, should just be ignored.

This verdict also means the law of this land – India, has no standing or bearing or representation of its people for it has chosen to ignore and subjugate one minority in the name of another.

Ankit: A ‘LOT’. It was a key for me to getting acceptance from each individual who believed in the Indian Constitution.

What are the implications of the verdict?

Ankur: The verdict has created more spaces of vulnerabilities for the LGBTI community. The journey for many which began with Delhi High Court judgment may find it astray now. Young people who in the spirit of confidence and pride came out at their workplace or other spaces few might start feeling more vulnerable. Similarly a lot of men who aren’t confident about their sexuality or are in closet would resist taking health services for fear of stigma or discrimination. This verdict will impede in the work towards HIV prevention, impact psychological health, and may also result in an increase in the cases of abuse, violence and harassment; or even misuse of this Section.

Priya: It has given a lot of impetus to people to raise their voices even louder. The protests across 20 plus cities in India is just a small sign of what the people are feeling on being denied their fundamental human rights.

On the negative side, it opens up the path for millions of queer Indians to be oppressed in the name of sexuality and does away with years of progress towards opening up spaces, mindsets and opinions.

Ankit: It will be very negative. It will be used by the Police against homosexuals in a very wrong way. It will bring depression on Indian youth, especially in small cities.

What is the next step for organisations like yours?

Ankur: I don’t think it is any more of an individual organisation’s response that matters or rather is of any consequence in relation to national response to the judgment.

At The Humsafar Trust, currently we run six targeted interventions for prevention of HIV with men who have sex with men and transgender persons in Mumbai, supported under Maharashtra District AIDS Control Society (MDACS). One of the key tasks is of distribution of condoms and lubricants to the population and talk for safer sex practices. Since the verdict, a few of our outreach workers have already reported cases of police harassment.

What really seems like a response to me, is what we intend to do by being part of Queer Azadi Mumbai (QAM) collective. The call for a meeting on December 15 to protest against the verdict was to discuss the next steps in the presence of the larger community. This meeting is the first step that converges into a national meeting with LGBTI persons in Delhi next week to finalise the plan of action. A collective national response and strategy is what we are looking forward to.

Priya: The idea is to gather, inform and campaign more and more and more until somebody responds! This verdict has brought people far closer than even the glorious High Court verdict in 2009! We plan to engage and encourage people for continuous on-the-ground public action.

We are also at heart a media platform – we will continue to share voices, thoughts, opinions on the issue and also curate all possible news and information so we stay ahead of the way the Indian and global community has reacted and continues to react to this development.

Ankit: We are going to fight for our rights. And apart from our judicial fight we will also do more of social awareness programmes. It’s about time that the society understands that Gay rights are all about basic human rights.

Why do you think the 2009 HC decision was quashed?

Ankur: Well, I would refrain from answering this question. We all know the judgment by Delhi High Court in 2009 was a historic judgment not because it favoured LGBTI rights, but more because the judgement called upon ‘constitutional morality’ above everything, and an essence Indian constitution. It stated that Judiciary in a democracy has to ensure equal rights and justice to all the citizens of this country and in particular to safeguard the rights and interests of marginalised and vulnerable populations. Supreme Court’s verdict has weakened trust and hope of a lot of citizens like me, who always thought Judiciary as a key to realize rights and justice.

Priya: We seriously do not know. Common sense fails us here. The current judgment lacks clarity in the arguments on which the conclusions are based. It seems to have completely ignored the fundamental constitutional promise of equality and dignity to every citizen of the world’s largest democracy. It is just the extreme opposite of the HC judgment. There are multiple speculations – owing to the shaky and political nature of India’s decision-making but otherwise we have no reasons as to why this may have happened. Prior to the decision, we were highly optimistic.

Ankit: Because SC mostly speaks about the technicality of law, about how the court cannot do much about it and we need to approach the Parliament for the same. This judgment is without heart. I personally think that the SC should also consider human feelings as they are dealing with human rights.

Irrespective of the verdict, do you think that the society is prepared to respect the choices and decisions of the LGBT community?

Ankur: Though it saddens me to look at the verdict, I am happy to see the massive support that is coming from the general population. I like the fact that many straight friends, allies

and supporters are coming in front to condemn the judgment. This is a result of the efforts that have been put in all these years to mainstream and create awareness on this issue.

I thought that irrespective of social acceptance, I want my rights to be in place. I believed that my legal rights will help me fight more rigorously and more importantly to fight back any abuse, violence or harassment from homophobic persons or institution. But now, I sincerely hope that we consider this unfortunate event as an opportunity to talk and discuss more about the issue with people, and gain from their support. There will always be homophobes like there are racist, sexist people, but what I look forward to is a space where I have a right to protest and ask for a justice when I am being denied; and I am many more allies and supporters to outnumber the homophobes.

Priya: We think so. The last four odd years have seen many individuals stepping out and expressing their identity, gender and sexual diversity. Many public spaces have been created to promote a dialogue between the LGBT community and the mainstream. Enough literature has been produced that reflects the queerness in the lives of straight people and the stories of LGBT resonating well with the majority. We think the society is making an attempt to understand the LGBT community, and is supporting us through all this in spirit, in heart and in kindness.

Ankit: Well, I personally feel that society is ready to accept anything which you can make them understand. So, the question is not whether the society is prepared to respect the choices and decisions of the LGBT community. But is the LGBT community ready to make people understand why they need to accept and respect themselves? And the answer is, the LGBT community has somewhere failed to prove it. The reasons for this can be many. But indeed there is a lack of effort from community work for their social acceptance.

Has the media played a supportive role in advancing the rights of the community or has the gesture been purely symbolic?

Ankur: I think it has been really supportive, in fact better than ever before. Look at any of the news channels and you would see journalists stating their clear position on the judgment and also advocating the rights of the LGBTI community. I also would like to believe that these people who have a large viewership in the country would impact and also create a positive change in the viewer’s perspective. Similarly for two days in a row, many of print media (English and vernacular) have covered extensively the news on the judgment and have dealt with the subject with sensitivity and in solidarity.

Priya: The media has been really supportive in advancing the rights of the community. Every newspaper, magazine, online platforms and television have done their part in promoting, sharing, and informing the mainstream about LGBT and other minorities. The onus of causing a shift in the social acceptance, mobilisation and sensitisation also lie heavily with the media. It is through them that people have heard of the lesbian couple who committed suicide in Nandigram, Bengal or the famous wedding of another lesbian couple in San Fransciso.

We like the fact that the media creates a lot of noise, picks up on nuances, details, small issues and plays to social causes these days. We’ve seen it for other issues in the country before and now there is no better time to play to the cause of the Gay rights issue.

Ankit: Yes, the media has been very supportive about this. I observed very effective support of media in last few days, English as well as regional. Lastly, I would just like to say that it’s not an end, we have very long way to go and we are going to walk ahead and make this country and world a better place to live.

(Pictures courtesy Nidhi Qazi. All images captured on Sunday, December 15, during the Global Day of Rage)

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