More than three years after the setting up of the West Bengal Transgender Development Board, a Board member from the transgender community has decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) petition against the government, accusing it of “doing nothing” for the community.
Speaking to The Hindu, board member Ranjita Sinha said, “The State government has failed to implement any of the suggestions placed at the Board meetings for the development of the transgender community. I will file a PIL by January and seek the Calcutta High Court’s intervention.”
The West Bengal Transgender Development Board was set up in July 2015 and comprises 13 members of whom six are from the transgender community.
The others are government officials and civil society members.
‘Show piece’
Accusing the State government of turning the “Board into an ineffective show piece” Mx. Sinha said that contrary to the proposals accepted at the Board meetings, the State government is yet to conduct any “proper survey” to determine the size of transgender community.
However, Minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Sashi Panja, who is also the chairperson of the Board, denied the allegations.