KOLKATA: When Pankaj Sarkar went for a sex realignment surgery in 2014, the last thing he had imagined for himself was the untouchable tag. In a cruel twist of fate, Pankaj – who has been christened as Riya – claims to be living in hell. A teacher of history in Dum Dum Prachaya Bani Mandir For Boys’, Riya alleged that she has been at the receiving end of what she called ‘terrible alienation’ from some teachers of this government sponsored school. Extremely disturbed with the way she has been treated as ‘cattle class’, Riya reached out to vice chairperson of the West Bengal Transgender Development Board Manabi Bandopadhyay - to share her humiliation.

Speaking to TOI, Sarkar said, “I had been a subject of ridicule when I was a transgender. But things went out of proportion when I had my sex realignment surgery. There are two faculty members who treat me like an animal. They make me feel as if I am storehouse of sexual diseases. I am treated like an untouchable.” Illustrating her trauma, she spoke about how there were occasions when she was singled out and offered food in a teachers’ room. “Others were allowed inside the ‘midday meal room’. I have even questioned why, despite my education, I am being subjected to such discrimination,” said Sarkar, who lives in Sodhpur. But the answer, she claimed, was never forthcoming.

All hell broke loose on Friday when she was allegedly not allowed to attend a teachers’ meeting for Saraswati Puja. “For some strange reason, the meeting was held in the playground. One of my colleagues, who was sitting with me, was called to join the meeting. But not me. Saraswati Puja is meant for everyone. How can I be made to feel like an untouchable?” she asked. According to Sarkar, her protest backfired. “I had requested to be let out a little early on Friday so that I could attend a wedding. Others are often given this option if they need to leave early. Since I had protested the Saraswati Puja incident, my request was promptly turned down,” she added.

However, teacher-in-charge of the institute Amar Nath Chatterjee refuted Sarkar’s allegations. “We have all the documents to prove how we have tried to be accommodative in her case. The managing committee of the school had passed a resolution so that Pankaj Sarkar had no problems when he changed over to Riya Sarkar. Nobody comes here to gossip. Everyone is busy with work. We have no time for ostracisation,” Chatterjee said.

Assistant teacher in Bengali – Subrata Biswas – said that officially all help has been extended to Sarkar. “I personally try to maintain good relations with everyone. It’s true that she wasn’t called for the informal meeting that was held on the playground. But when the formal meeting was held, she was definitely called,” Biswas said. On allegations about Sarkar sometimes dressing and behaving indecently on campus, he said, “I have never noticed any impropriety in her case. She is a good teacher. I am hoping we can all work together in harmony.”

Even Chayanika Saha, an economics teachers of Seth Bagan Adarsha Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary, is aware of Sarkar’s plight. “She has shared her grief with me. I know she has scars but can’t comment further. I feel every individual should have the liberty to live the way he or she wants. I have never seen her behave or dress indecently,” Saha said.

Meanwhile, Bandopadhyay said, “I know people say a lot of things in support of the third gender. But reality is different.” She insisted that Riya’s experiences had brought back her personal memories. “She told me that people don’t even want to have food with her in the same room. In my case, such things would happen at the Jhargram Manikpara VS College when I underwent a surgery in 2003. But it is shocking that even in 2016, people in Kolkata can be so brutal. This can even drive one to commit suicide,” Bandopadhyay said.

What has pained Sarkar the most is that educational qualification still hasn’t been able to guarantee her a respectable life. “Dr Manabi Bandopadhyay is the first person from the community to become a college principal in this country. I am perhaps the second person who is in the teaching profession. I have served this school for ten years. That too after completing my masters and teachers training course at the Calcutta University. It is shattering for me to be treated like an outcast. Instead of crediting me for my struggle, some are into my character assassination. There are allegations about my indecent dressing sense. I have clicked a photograph on Saturday. Does it show that I am indecently dressed?” she asked.

Sarkar’s mother is physically challenged. To avoid getting her folks tense, Sarkar prefers not to share her sorrow with them. “I am in the process of going for an ovary transplant. It’s an extremely difficult process. I have tried hard to adjust in school and often suffering silently,” said Sarkar, who isn’t married but is now in a relationship.

“If this is how society is treating an educated transwoman, people from the community will have little option other than going back to primitive professions,” Bandopadhyay pointed out.

The only silver lining, Sarkar said, is the fact that her students love her a lot. “After my sex realignment surgery, I started wearing jeans and salwar kurta in school. But my students welcomed my new look. They have never made any discrimination. Their warmth moves me to tears. Barring Sridam Mondal and Amar Nath Chatterjee, other teachers have been very kind towards me,” she concluded.

Facebook Twitter Linkedin EMail