This Trans Student’s Letter to Karnataka CM Will Move You to Tears—How Long Will Transgender People Be Used to Add Color to Walls, Libraries and Political Flags?

Transgender Petitioner Appeals to Government for Affirmative Action

The beautiful wall art at NLSIU Bangalore, created by a collective of transgender and cis-women artists, stands as both a beautiful aspiration and a poignant reminder of the distance yet to be traveled in achieving true equality.

Bengaluru — At National Law School of India University (NLSIU), one of India’s premier and leading law schools, a ground wall boasts of equality and pride through beautiful artwork created by a Trans-women and cis-women led art collective. Yet behind this colorful celebration of inclusion stands a stark reality – the institution’s transgender students continue to struggle for basic rights like fee waivers and reservations, highlighting the deep divide between symbolic gestures and genuine institutional support.

Mugil Anbu Vasantha, a transgender activist and petitioner in a landmark Karnataka High Court case, has submitted an open representation to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah , urging immediate action to uphold the constitutional rights of transgender persons.

The appeal comes in the wake of a High Court judgment directing the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) to provide reservations and a fee waiver for transgender students—a directive the petitioner claims the university has not implemented.

Mugil’s petition stemmed from the denial of admission to the 3-Year LLB program at NLSIU in 2023, despite clearing the entrance exam. The university allegedly withheld rank lists, denied financial aid, and challenged their admission in court. A provisional admission was granted in 2023 under an interim order, but only on the condition of full fee payment—a demand Mugil described as discriminatory.

In its December 16, 2024, final order, the High Court ruled in favor of Mugil, mandating NLSIU to implement 0.5% interim reservations for transgender persons with a fee waiver. The court also directed the Karnataka government to ensure implementation of these provisions, while urging the university to seek grants to support fee waivers.

The beautiful wall art at NLSIU Bangalore, created by a collective of transgender and cis-women artists, stands as both a beautiful aspiration and a poignant reminder of the distance yet to be traveled in achieving true equality.

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Despite the court order, Mugil alleges that NLSIU has remained unresponsive and failed to outline steps for implementation. “Two weeks have passed since the judgment, and there has been no communication from the university. This delay raises fears that the institution is prioritizing an appeal over fulfilling its constitutional obligations,” Mugil stated in the letter.

The activist highlighted the systemic barriers faced by transgender persons in accessing education, pointing out the absence of substantive state support. They requested the Chief Minister to expedite the release of grants for the fee waiver and ensure NLSIU adheres to the court’s directive.

On December 16, 2024 the Karnataka High Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, mandating NLSIU to implement 0.5% interim reservations for transgender persons with a fee waiver.

On December 16, 2024 the Karnataka High Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, mandating NLSIU to implement 0.5% interim reservations for transgender persons with a fee waiver.

An Offer in Exchange for Education

In an unprecedented move, Mugil offered to work in Karnataka’s State Legal Aid Services upon completing their degree, emphasizing their commitment to using legal education to serve marginalized communities.

The letter read: “My need for the State’s protection and intervention is great. And I am deeply aware of the exorbitant nature of the fee sought, as well as the need for just use of resources. I don’t have land to offer, therefore, I put forth the following offer: In return for the court-directed fee waiver and an end to mindless legal and other bureaucratic challenges, I would be happy to utilize my professional law degree – upon completion – in the service of the people of Karnataka, preferably in the State Legal Aid Services, on fair and transparent work conditions. I trust that you and the people of Karnataka will not see my law degree as lesser than your own law degree or any others.”

Aravani Art Project is a Trans-women and cis-women led art collective that aims to create a space for people from the Transgender Community, to come together to create, collaborate and work on several Artistic projects. This beautiful wall was created in the ground floor of the NLSIU by trans artists.

Aravani Art Project is a Trans-women and cis-women led art collective that aims to create a space for people from the Transgender Community, to come together to create, collaborate and work on several Artistic projects. This beautiful wall was created in the ground floor of the NLSIU by trans artists. Image Courtesy- Aravaniartproject.com

How transgender persons are neglected in Karnataka

Mugil’s representation also highlighted broader issues of neglect towards transgender persons in Karnataka. They criticized the lack of effective implementation of the 2017 Karnataka State Transgender Policy and the failure to extend reservations in education and employment.

They wrote, ” Living in 2024 in the city of Bengaluru, I (and any similarly situated transgender person) cannot access education with safety or self-respect. We are caught between the streets and the courts – a situation that the completely unrealized Karnataka State Transgender Policy, 2017 was supposed to safeguard against. As a keen observer of the historic debates on the 75 years of Indian Constitution in the Parliament, Sir, I regret to inform you that not a single representative expressed support or demand for rights of transgender persons. For example, even though transgender persons in Maharashtra also sat on hunger strike, the people’s representative from your national ally, NCP(SP), listed all the communities in Maharashtra demanding reservations to the complete exclusion of transgender demands.”

The student criticized the lack of political will across party lines, referencing the neglect of transgender demands in national debates, even when issues of reservation and representation were discussed. “Is it the understanding across all party lines that transgender persons can go from street to court and back endlessly to get our most basic rights?” they questioned.

The beautiful wall art at NLSIU Bangalore, created by a collective of transgender and cis-women artists, stands as both a beautiful aspiration and a poignant reminder of the distance yet to be traveled in achieving true equality.

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The letter also pointed out gaps in the government’s implementation of horizontal reservations, highlighting the absence of data on employment outcomes and the lack of similar provisions in education.

” Your own party’s 2023 manifesto has only half-hearted promises for the transgender people of the State. Meanwhile, the law officers of your government are mindlessly challenging and objecting all legitimate claims that we are placing before the courts. If my high school civics lessons were right, Sir, law officers of the State are supposed to act in a manner as to secure the constitutional promises to all. I use the word mindlessly with a lot of care: because application of the mind, lies at the heart of securing fundamental rights. Even though 1% horizontal reservations exist in employment in Karnataka there is no data on the proper implementation and fulfilment of these seats. And this reservation exists without comparable 1% horizontal reservation at all levels of education. On the one hand you accept the role of education in your rise to power, but deny us full and free access to the same rights. Why, Sir? Despite the near-complete ignorance and neglect from the State, not only have there been luminaries of the transgender movement in Karnataka who have come from different parts of the country, they have also devoted their life here to the uplift of all people in the State. It is because of such persons that I have self-respect and faith in upholding constitutional morality. If any wellwishers for transgender community exist in the State, it is due to their efforts. But the State has failed by not translating their efforts into substantive constitutional protections. As such a majority of transgender persons, including myself, are forever in a state of peril, while the State fails to recognize our rights and denies us our right to representation.”

Mugil concluded the letter by writing, ” The ground floor of NLSIU, has a wall that has been muraled with the art of Aravani Art Project – made up of transgender persons – that reads ‘Equality and Pride’. How long will transgender people be used to add colour to walls, libraries, lives and everchanging political flags of people while being denied our collective fundamental rights?”.

The Mooknayak reached out to NLSIU’s Vice Chancellor and Registrar seeking their position on the non-implementation of the High Court directive regarding transgender reservations and fee waivers. Our queries specifically addressed the steps taken by the university to comply with the court order, any potential appeals in process, and the institution’s timeline for implementing transgender-inclusive policies. The story will be updated upon receiving a response from the officials.

Courtesy: The Mooknayak

Note: This news is originally published on  themooknayak.com and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially for human rights.