Sharmila apologises to transgenders for insult

Sharmila clarified that she and her party accord utmost respect to the transgender community and that it was only in a momentary exchange of words that she had uttered the word 'Hijra'.

Hyderabad: YSR Telangana Party leader YS Sharmila on Wednesday apologised to transgenders, a day after the latter staged a protest against her for allegedly insulting them.

Sharmila clarified that she and her party accord utmost respect to the transgender community and that it was only in a momentary exchange of words that she had uttered the word, but never had an intention to demean them.

“We respect you and recognise the fact that you have a special place in our society. I offer my apologies to you if someone feels I have hurt them,” said Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

She said that once voted to power, YSRTP will work towards their upliftment and ensure a respectable stature in society, and also extend welfare schemes and loans.

Transgenders had Tuesday staged a protest in Hyderabad demanding an apology from Sharmila for insulting them. The protestors warned that if she fails to tender an apology, they would block her padyatra in the state.

Speaking during her padyatra in Mahabubabad on February 18, Sharmila had criticised local MLA of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Shankar Naik and called him a ‘Hijra’ (eunuch).

The derogatory term had triggered strong protest by the ruling party. The police booked a case against Sharmila, detained and forcibly shifted her to Hyderabad.

The YSRTP leader had later claimed that she had only responded to the MLA’s remark. She said Shankar Naik had called her a Hijra and she had merely replied saying ‘Who is Hijra. Aren’t you the Hijra’.