Varnapakitt-2019: Kerala to host India’s first-ever ‘trans art festival’

Agencies
September 20, 2019

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 20: Talented transgender members will soon get a platform to showcase their artistic and creative skills in Kerala, as the state government is gearing up to host an exclusive festival for the marginalised group next month.

The state Social Justice Department conceptualised the unique event as part of its various initiatives to support the TG community, make them part of the mainstream society and to promote their talents.

Titled "Varnapakitt-2019", the two-day event is considered to be the first such state-sponsored art festival to be organised exclusively for transgenders in the country.

According to authorities, the state-level festival is being organised as part of the transgender policy implemented by the government for the upliftment of the community.

The venue of the festival is expected to be the state capital and the official announcement of the dates are yet to come.

As part of the art festival, the Department also invited applications for cash awards from 10 transgenders who have proved their excellence in various social fields except cinema.

According to the Art Festival manual, released by the Department, any TG member aged 18 or above, who has the authentic identity card issued by the government, can take part in the festival.

Besides the performing art category including dance, music (both single and group), mono-act and mimicry, competitions will be held in story, poetry andessay writing, it said.

Transgender activist Sheethal Shyam hailed the government initiative and said it will be an exciting platform for the TGs to perform and show their talent to the world.

"It may be for the first time in the country that a state department is organising such an art festival for us.

There are several talented persons in our community who do not get a platform to perform and show their skills to the world because of the stigma attached to the gender," Sheethal, also an actor and dancer, told PTI.

Not just in the fields of art, there are several TGs who contribute and serve the society in different capacities but their services go unnoticed, the activist said.

"Many TGs are unsung heroes. Their services and talents go unnoticed. People are honoured in our state for fighting floods and came out of its hardships successfully.

But, our life is a fight everyday. But, no one recognises it," the activist said.

A member of the state Transgender Justice Board, Sheethal also said the art festival and the TG award are considered as a recognition to those who have fought several odds to express their gender.

Sharing her sentiments, Surya, another TG member, said the art festival and the TG award would be a motivation for their community members.

"It will help remove the stigma attached to the transgender community and motivate more people to come out revealing their gender," Surya told PTI.

Competitions are planned to be held in 20 categories and those who garner maximum points will be bestowed with 'Kalaratna' award, the festival manual said.

There won't be any separate competition for transman and transwoman, it added.

Kerala is the first state to unveil a 'Policy for Transgenders', in the country.

The government has introduced several innovative schemes ranging from 'transgender helpline', TG justice board and shelter homes.

As per the census conducted in Kerala during 2015-16, there are 1,187 third genders in the southern state.

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News Network
March 28,2020

Mumbai, Mar 28: Doctors in Mumbai have not been spared by the novel coronavirus. As Mumbai’s count for Covid-19 cases went up to 58, an octogenarian doctor from Saifee Hospital passed away on Friday. He was a suspected case of coronavirus with co-morbid conditions like diabetes and had a pacemaker implanted, said a press release from the state health department.

As per a statement from Saifee Hospital, he underwent a CT scan at Saifee Hospital and was diagnosed positive for Covid-19. The surgeon was transferred to the special isolation facility at PD Hinduja Hospital where he subsequently died. Behranwala’s close relatives had come down from England and were under quarantine.

In a statement, Saifee Hospital, where Behranwala underwent CT scan, said, "All containment and surveillance measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of our staff patients and visitors. Saifee Hospital reiterates that the Hospital is fully operational," said Dr Vernon Desa, Director (Medical governance and clinical compliance) Saifee Hospital.

In the second case, an Andheri-based doctor, aged 53, has been tested positive along with his 43-year-old wife and 20-year-old daughter. The family doesn’t have a travel history. The doctor reportedly came in contact with the virus through a patient. MCGM has taken samples of 60 patients who came in contact with the doctor. "As of now, no patient from his contact has tested positive," Assistant Commissioner, Vishwas Mote.

Another doctor who practiced at Vakola tested positive after he came in contact with a person having travel history to Italy, later tested positive. The doctor has been admitted at Raheja hospital and samples of his close contact have been taken.

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News Network
April 2,2020

New Delhi,  Apr 2: Muslim cleric Imam Umer Ilyasi appealed to all the individuals who attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi recently, not to hide from the government and not to be scared of it.

"I appeal to all the Muslim brothers and mosque managing committees involved in the Jamaat congregation to please come out and inform the government. You do not need to feel scared of the government," Ilyasi told news agency.

He added: "You do not need to feel scared of the government. If you are quarantined, it doesn't mean you will be punished. This is for your and other people's safety."
On the subject of people likely to be quarantined, he said that if one does get quarantined, he or she must not think those quarantine facilities are jails. "If you are quarantined, it doesn't mean you will be punished. This is for your and other people's safety. Quarantine is the cure, you do not need to worry about it," he added.

Ilyasi further appealed to the people that one must not associate religion with the coronavirus outbreak. "Islam talks about saving one person's life and securing a person's life. Do not connect the outbreak with religion as this outbreak does not affect any religion or caste in particular," he said.

With regards to the lockdown being imposed by the centre, he said: "I appeal to all that we must obey the lockdown judiciously as there is no medicine or cure for this disease."
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest bulletin said that there are 1,834 coronavirus positive cases in India, including 1,649 active cases, 144 cured/discharged/migrated people and 41 deaths.

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News Network
March 2,2020

New Delhi, Mar 2: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his comments that no one from the minority community will be affected by amended Citizenship Act and asked why then was the community excluded from the law in the first place.

Addressing a rally in Kolkata, Shah assured people of the minority community that not a single person will lose citizenship due to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

"The Home Minister says that no minority will be affected by CAA. If this is correct, they should tell the country who would be affected by CAA. If no one would be affected by CAA, as it currently is, why did the government pass the law?

"If the CAA aims to benefit all minorities (no one will be affected, says HM), then why are Muslims excluded from the list of minorities mentioned in the Act?," the former finance minister asked in a post on Twitter.

At his first public rally in Kolkata after the 2019 general elections, Shah said, "The opposition is terrorising the minorities. I assure every person from the minority community that the CAA only provides citizenship, does not take it away. It won't affect your citizenship."

"The opposition parties are spreading canards that refugees will have to show papers but this is absolutely false. You don't have to show any paper. We will not stop until all refugees are granted citizenship," Shah told the public.

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