‘Unacceptable’: Transgender rights activist slams ‘objectionable’ jatra dialogue at Khandagiri mela

A controversy emerged over the alleged use of objectionable words referring to the transgender community in the play Janwar, which is scheduled to be staged at the Khandagiri Jatra in Odisha's Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Transgender rights activist Meera Parida objected to a dialogue delivered by actor Kahna, claiming it demeans the dignity of the transgender community.

The play Janwar has been written by playwright Deepak Jena and directed by Dillip Raut. According to the allegations, a particular scene in the play contains words considered offensive towards transgender persons. The issue came to the fore after Meera Parida raised objections to the dialogue and sought corrective action from the organisers.

Activist Issues Warning

Meera Parida, a Member of the National Council for Transgender Persons, said the use of such language was unacceptable and warned of further action if the issue was not addressed publicly.

“I wish to state that from India’s independence till 2014, no jatra artiste ever used the stage to advocate the rights of transgender persons. Writers who use acting as a shield to demean transgenders should understand that when acting affects the lives and livelihoods of a community, it is no longer just acting,” Meera said.

Referring to legal provisions, Parida added, “As per the NaLSA vs Union of India judgment and the Transgender Protection Act, creating a negative image of the transgender community through acting or any other form is unacceptable. I specifically wish to mention artiste Kahna, who plays a villain and wears a saree on stage. If he does not issue a public apology through the media or social media, our members will not allow the performance at the Khandagiri Jatra.”

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Theatre Group Responds

Following the protest, the theatre group associated with the production informed that the disputed words would be removed from the script. The production team stated that no dialogue or expression that harms the dignity of any community would be included in the performance.