In a first, a transgender made Cong office-bearer

NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday appointed transgender activist Apsara Reddy as general secretary of the All India Mahila Congress, the first such appointment to be formalised in the party’s history.

Reddy, a well-known transgender activist was formerly associated with the AIADMK and for a month, with the BJP. Her appointment was announced by Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev after their meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. Welcoming her appointment, Dev said Reddy is the first transgender national-level office bearer of the party.

Saying she would take up women’s causes, Reddy said, “I will work with the state unit’s across India towards economic empowerment for women and to fight against social injustices and help them find their human rights.” Reddy also took up for the proposed Transgender Bill calling the BJP’s attitude towards its passage “patronising”.