काठमाडौं (पहिचान) साउन १३ -नेपालका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीले नेपाल र भारत दुवै देशलाई समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगी समुदायको मुद्धालाई ढाकछोप नगर्न आग्रह गरेका छन् । समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगी समुदाय माथि नेपाल भारत सीमामा कुनै पनि भेदभाव र अन्याय हुन नहुने नेपालका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीको माग छ । समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीले नागरिकता र पासपोर्टको कारणले गर्दा सीमा क्षेत्रमा धेरै भेदभाव र अन्याय भोग्दै आएका उल्लेख गर्दै नेपालका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीको मातृ संस्था नील हिरा समाजले सीमामा हुने यस्ता अन्याय र भेदभावलाई दुई देशबीच संवाद गरेर समाधान गर्न सुझाव समेत दिएको छ ।
यस्तै नेपालका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीले साउन १८ गतेदेखि हुने भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री नरेन्द्र मोदीको नेपाल भ्रमणलाई स्वागत गरेका छन् । सांस्कृतिक र ऐतिहासिक हिसाबले नेपाल र भारतको सम्बन्ध धेरै नजिकको रहेको भन्दै नेपालका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीको मोदीको नेपाल भ्रमणको स्वागत गरेका हुन् । नेपालका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीको मातृ संस्था नील हिरा समाजकी अध्यक्ष पिंकी गुरुङले भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री मोदीलाई खुल्ला पत्र लेखेर संसार कै ठूलो प्रजातान्त्रिक मुलुक मानिने भारतले नेपालबाट तेस्रोलिङ्गीको हक अधिकारका विषयमा सिकेर अघि बढ्नुपर्ने र भारतीय समाजले स्वीकार्नु पर्ने उल्लेख गरेकी छन् ।
भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री मोदीसँग समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीले भेट्ने इच्छा समेत व्यक्त गरेका छन । सबै नेपालीसँगै आफ्नो समुदाय पनि मोदीको नेपाल भ्रमणबाट दुवै देशको लामो र पारिवारिक सम्बन्ध अझ गाढा हुनेमा उत्साहित र आशावादी रहेको अध्यक्ष गुरुङले लेखेको खुल्ला पत्रमा उल्लेख छ । नेपालका विद्यालयमा यौनिक झुकावका बारेमा पढाई हुने र सार्वजनिक स्थल तेस्रोलिंगी मैत्री हुँदै गएपनि भारतमा अझै त्यस्तो हुन नसकेको समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीको गुनासो छ ।
खुल्ला पत्रमा नेपालको सर्वोच्च अदालतले सन् २००७ मा समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीलाई पहिचान अनुसारको नागरिकता दिन सरकारका नाममा निर्देशनात्मक आदेश दिएको ७ बर्षपछि भारतीय सर्वोच्च अदालतले सन् २०१४ अप्रिल १५ मा तेस्रोलिंगीलाई पहिचान अनुसारको नागरिकता, आरक्षण, रासनको व्यवस्था गर्न भारतीय सरकारलाई आदेश दिएको उल्लेख गरिएको छ । समाजकी अध्यक्ष गुरुङले भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री मोदीलाई लेखेको खुल्ला पत्रमा नेपाल र भारत दुई देशबीच हुने बलियो र गाढा सम्वन्धको प्रभाव दुवै देशका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगी समूदायसँगै समाजका हरेक स्तरमा पर्ने उल्लेख छ । प्रजातन्त्र र विका सबैको सहभागितामा मात्रै हुने उल्लेख गर्दै अध्यक्ष गुरुङले मोदीलाई लेखेको खुल्ला पत्रमा भनिएको छ, प्रजातन्त्र र विकास तब मात्र सहभागिमूलक र सफल हुन्छ जब त्यसमा समाजको सबै तहको सहभागिता हुन्छ र सबैलाई फाइदा हुन्छ । समाजको ती तहमा समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगी समुदाय पनि पर्छन ।
नील हिरा समाजले भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री मोदीलाई कार्यकालको शुभकामना पनि दिएको छ । साथै समाजले मोदीको कार्यकालमा भारतका समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीले भारतका अरु समुदाय सरह रोजगार, शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य र निर्णय स्तरमा पहँच पाउन सकुन भनेको छ । समाजले देश विकास र आर्थिक सहकार्य नेपाल र भारत दुवै देशमा समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगी समुदायको योगदान अरु नागरिक सरह हुन सक्छ भन्ने वातावरण सिर्जना हुने विश्वास पनि व्यक्त गरेको छ । नेपालमा समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगी समूदायबाट सुनिलवावु पन्तले विघठित संविधानसभामा प्रतिनिधित्व हुनलाई उदाहरण मानेर समलिंगी तेस्रोलिंगीलाई नेपालमा जस्तै भारतले राजनीतिक अधिकार दिनुपर्ने सुझाव समाजले दिएको छ ।

नील हिरा समाजले भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री नरेन्द्र मोदीलाई लेखेको खुल्ला पत्र ः

Honourable Narendra Modi, PM of India

We, the third gender community of Nepal, are happy to extend you a hearty welcome to Nepal. The close bonds between the people of India and Nepal are rooted in the many ways our cultural heritage overlaps. One profound ‘developing-similarity between Nepal and India’ that makes us feel particularly proud to call India our closest neighbor was that on 15th April 2014, the Indian Supreme Court recognized “third genders.” Nepal’s supreme court did the same in 2007. Prior to this, we were forced to identify as male or female, despite the fact that these descriptive labels are inaccurate according to our gender, and as a result, we have been denied our basic rights.

Like many Nepalese, we in the third gender community are very excited and hopeful from your visit to Nepal of renewing and refreshing our long and familial relationship between Nepal and India, to the mutual benefit of both nations. That strengthening our ties will, in fact, reach to all levels, layers and aspects of the societies in Nepal and India, including third gender people. Democracy and development can be said inclusive and successful if that inclusion, participation and benefits are accessible and reached by those who are at the furthest margins of society, including the third gender communities.

We wish you very best for your successful tenure as Prime Minister of India that under your premiership every Indian citizen, including third gender, will be uplifted and they will have greater access to jobs, education, health care and decision-making process of India as an equal citizen of India. We hope you will also recognize the potential for Nepali third genders to work toward mutually beneficial goals in any joint development, and in economic cooperation with Nepal during your visit. There are many important issues that Nepal and India must sort out. On the other hand, we feel it is vital that third gender’s basic issues not be overlooked which are immensely important for third gender of both countries. For example, we would like to see that no insult, discrimination or abuse occur at the border. Third gender people, due to the inappropriate or inaccurate legal ID card or passport face tremendous problems at the border crossing between the two countries. Such discrimination inhibits various kinds of commerce and cultural interaction that can serve to improve the lives of citizens in India and Nepal. Contemplating up on Buddha’s teaching: “…a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?” (Samyutta NIkaya v. 353), protecting third gender rights in both nations is good for the economies and development of both nations while respecting our cultural heritage (we believe that you are well aware of the fact that both Nepal and India share similar cultural heritage, which, not only acknowledge but also respect third genders, for example Shikhandi of Mahabharata).

We also request you to end section 377 of IPC that criminalizes homosexuals and denies basic rights as human beings. In Nepal; we are so proud that we are so proud that openly gay person Mr. Sunil Babu Pant was elected to Nepal’s parliament in 2008; Nepal government started issuing legal ID for third genders as ‘other’, we are in the politics; we organize sport and other cultural festivals; in schools students are taught about diverse genders and sexual orientations; and public toilets are constructed in way that are accessible to third genders. It’s hard for us to imagine that India, the largest democracy in the world, still upholds this shameful legacy of British Colonialism.

There is so much we can learn from each other; while Nepal is definitely making more progress on ensuring third gender’s rights, there is much more to accomplish. We offer you this opportunity of your visit to learn from Nepal that you might return to India with the good practice of ensuring human rights of third gender people and shedding old, discriminatory colonial laws.

You no doubt will have a heavy schedule during your visit to Nepal, but if any opportunity arises we will warmly extend our invitation to you and would be thrilled to meet, welcome and ‘blessing’ you in person. We would be honored and delighted to liaison with your government and hope this letter will serve to open lines of communication.

We wish you safe travel and truly fruitful visit to Nepal. Welcome once again to the land of inspiration and realization of hope.

Sincerely,

Pinky Gurung

President

Blue Diamond Society

Nepal

www.bds.org.np