Journalism of Courage
The Kinnar (transgender) akhara that was invited by the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti (ABSS) — an umbrella organisation of over 3,000 Hindu monks and ascetics from 127 sects — to attend its two-day meeting at Talkatora stadium in New Delhi for the first time, Monday hitched its bandwagon to the demand for a law or an ordinance for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The Ujjain-based akhara that was set up three years ago — it works in the sectors of human rights and health, especially for health and education of the transgender community — also reiterated its faith in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and urged people to vote the BJP back to power in 2019.
“The Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti invited the Kinnar akhara for the first time… This shows the openess of the vedic sanatan dharma and that it is open to the transgender community. Today (Monday), it was clearly said…jo Ram ka hai, woh hamara hai (he who belong to Ram, is ours too),” Acharya Mahamandleshwar Laxmi Narayn Tripathi, head of the Kinnar akhara, told The Indian Express.
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Claiming that her presence in the ABSS meeting on the Ram temple issue was not limited to the specific cause, Tripathi said: “This is a cause for millions of sanatanis whose self-respect and dignity is being unconstitutionally taken away by the policies in the country, the state and Central governments… Ram mandir (temple) is one of the biggest issue for which so many down the years, and even today, feel sad about…”
Tripathi also said that it was unconstitutional that temples, maths, our religious places were governed by the government. “It is against the consitution of this country and still we are quiet… Ram mandir has to happen and it will happen.”
Referring to the Supreme Court verdict on Section 377, Tripathi added, “Whether anybody is gay, lesbian, transgender, whatever is anybody sexuality… the biggest thing is the Hindu sanatan dharma. And the sanatan vedic practice has never questioned anyone’s sexuality. Our religion has space for everyone… it takes every one along.”
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The akhara is now set to participate in the Dharma Sabha in Ayodhya, also called by the ABSS on the Ram temple issue, on November 25.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Kinnar akhara head will also attend Diwali festivities in Ayodhya, which have been organised by the Yogi Adityanath-led government. The akhara will also attend the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad (now Prayag).
