In view of striking a gender balance, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin recently revamped the state development policy committee and appointed 10 new members including Narthaki Nataraj, who identifies as a transgender and industrialist Mallika Srinivasan part-time members.
Speaking to Times of India, DMK spokesman T K S Elangovan said, “We promised in our manifesto to broad base such councils that will suggest areas of focus to put Tamil Nadu on the growth path across sectors. Another council that will advise the state."
The inclusion of Nataraj has been deemed as a development as June is also called the Pride Month. For the first time in hsitory, a trans person has been inlcuded in the State development advisory committee. Nataraj was the first transwoman to have been honoured witn Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilan award in 2019, for he contribution in the field of Bharatanatyam. The Tamil Nadu government has adjudged Nataraj with the prestigious Kalaimamani award in 2007.
Nataraja didn’t have an easy childhood indentifying herself as a transgender. During her growing up yeras she had to put up a difficult battle of the society. She was also thrown out of her house for her non-binary conformity and make her way through the difficult roads to make it big in life. Her life strugles are also included in 11th statndard Tamil textbooks, reports ABP.
As MK Stalin-led DMK formed government in Tamil Nadu, the political game in the state has started to witness many twists and turns. The word ‘Ondriya Arasu’ (Union Government) came back to usage right when Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam started issuing government orders, holding council meets, press meets and so on.
The era of DMK party, which almost gained its political victory after a decade, began with Covid-19 crisis. Eventually, political critics presented their feedback on Stalin’s governance that has brought in new schemes that people of Tamil Nadu have not seen earlier. Those trend-setting schemes are ‘Ungal Thoguthiyil Muthalamaichar’ with which the government will redress the grievances of people in 100 days who submitted petitions to Stalin during the Tamil Nadu assembly election campaigns. Free bus travel for women, transgenders were among his schemes.
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