[His (i.e. Shehzad Poonawalla's) complaint asks the social justice ministry to expand the ambit of the NCM to include transgenders.]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Transgender-may-be-allowed-to-reside-in-Jogeshwari-house-after-TOI-report/articleshow/47808336.cms Transgender may be allowed to reside in Jogeshwari house after TOI report TNN | Jun 25, 2015, 05.24 AM IST MUMBAI: After a TOI report on Joe Paul, a transgender woman asked to vacate a Jogeshwari flat allegedly on grounds of sexuality, she may now be allowed to continue living there. An advocate from Delhi, Shehzad Poonawalla, has used TOI's report to petition the ministry of social justice seeking an investigation and a response from the Maharashtra government. While Poonawalla had earlier petitioned the National Minorities Commission (NCM) when a Muslim woman in the city was denied a flat, he couldn't approach the panel this time as a central government notification restricts the definition of minorities to religious minorities. ***His complaint asks the social justice ministry to expand the ambit of the NCM to include transgenders*** [emphasis added]. Paul said the broker, who got her the place she's in, called her on Monday and asked her to leave as the owner didn't want "gay people." The broker, Jehangir, said the owner had not discriminated on grounds of sexuality but wanted to rent his place to a family. He told TOI on Wednesday that he had convinced the owner to allow Paul to live there. The owner's representative, Naseem, said he would never discriminate against someone on grounds of gender. He said Paul will be allowed to stay in the flat if someone stands as surety for her and police verification is done, as she has no family in Mumbai. Naseem claimed a neighbor had complained that Paul had shouted and threatened people on the stairs. "I have never interacted with the neighbours. Why doesn't he tell me which neighbor said this about me, so I can confront the person," says Joe. As for police verification, she said a police no-objection certificate was part of any rent agreement. She wants a written apology from the owner for discriminating against her for being transgender. "They say only families live in the building, but I have seen single folk and live-in couples here," she said. "The Constitution gives everyone equal rights to earn and live irrespective of gender, caste and religion. If the facts of this case are as claimed, then it is a criminal act for which there should be proper action," said Union minister for social justice and empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
