Cuttack: A 28-year-old transgender activist from Odisha, Tanushree Behera, will be contesting as an independent candidate in the election for corporator in the Cuttack Municipal Corporation. Behera is the only contestant of her gender in the entire municipality election, which is scheduled to be held on March 24.
‘When my family got to know that I am transgender, my father forcefully asked me to step out from home at the age of 14 years. I left my home and grew up with slum people. For the last 10 years, I have been working as a social worker here for the slum people’, Behera was quoted by ANI. ‘Ahead of forthcoming municipality elections, people approached me to contest independently for the post of corporator from the ward (No 38) in Cuttack municipality. Later, I filled nomination paper for the position of corporate with my supporters to end the barriers of development for slum people here’, Behra added.
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‘My ward (No 38), which comprises Chhatra Bazar and the Malgodown areas, has some of the largest slums in Cuttack including Behera Sahi, Das Sahi, Nua Sahi, Suryanagar Basti, Sagar Sahi and Coal Depot slum. I will fight for the rights of slum dwellers to get them justice and livelihood’, Tanushree further said. ‘My aim is to provide them land documents (Patta), employment, better treatment, schools for children, vehicles and other facilities. These are the basic requirements which some dwellers are deprived of’, she explained, adding that, ‘I don’t want fame or popularity, I only want to serve people for their better future’.
Despite financial challenges, Behra completed an ITI degree from ABIT in Cuttack, the ANI report said, adding that she got an opportunity to work at a private company but was bound to leave the job after being harassed mentally and physically.
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