Thread by @AIDINDIA

#PhysicalDistancing, but #SocialSolidarity - a thread on our call today on Caste, Gender, Communal identity and Covid-19 crisis in #India👇 #IndiaFightsCoronavirus 1/n

Sumi Das, transgender activist from Cooch Behar, West Bengal, asks how can trans folk in villages #stayhomestaysafe, when they don’t have food on their plate? 2/n

Sumi - Trans and gender diverse communities outside metro cities already marginalized - earn from begging, dancing in weddings, sex work - don’t have documents or ration card, nor bank accounts to receive govt relief 3/n

With support from @AIDINDIA and friends, Sumi’s group Moitrisanjog is running a community kitchen in Ghughumari, and distributing dry ration to 120 people - who are without any govt or family support 4/n

About health crisis of trans folks, Sumi asks, govt hospitals don’t let us stay in male/female wards - will coronavirus not affect us? 5/n

#IndiaFightsCoronavirus #discrimination

Hasina Khan @BebaakCollectiv - Maybe scientists will find a cure for the coronavirus, but what about the #CommunalVirus that is affecting millions of Muslims in India? 6/n

#Islamophobia

Hasina - Govt profiled victims based on their religion, resulting in widespread #misinformation, harassment and death of Muslim lives. Some hospitals separating Muslims, not admitting Muslims - even pregnant women who need immediate medical help 7/n
theweek.in/news/india/202…

Hasina - as a feminist and a Muslim, Muslim women like me face the greatest challenge; ‘social’ distancing is an exclusionary idea, we need #SocialSolidarity to protect lives in the time of #CommunalVirus 8/n

Bheemappa Obalesh garu, convenor the safai karamchari kavulu samithi, and NGO Thamate in #Karnataka, asks, govt is celebrating health ‘warriors’ like doctors, nurses and hospital worker - are manual scavengers not #healthworkers? 9/n

Obalesh - Manual scavengers, safai karamcharis in Karnataka are mostly migrants from rural Karnataka, AP, TN, from the SC/ST community, many without social security. Many jobless now, or working without protection - 2 died in Hubli, Mandya 10/n
amnesty.org.in/abandoned-at-t… @AIIndia

Obalesh - Approached courts and govt to ensure life and health insurance for our workers. Govt’s efforts have not included the safety of municipal sanitation workers. Collected information through survey in 22 districts of KA. Need solidarity and support 11/n

Obalesh - With support from @AIDINDIA and others, have provided 1 month #ration, soap, #mask and gloves to 1600 safai karmachari families suffering from the #lockdown 12/n

#IndiaFightsCoronavirus

Ravishankar Arunachalam, founder of NGO Chudar, Tamil Nadu - #CasteDiscrimination has hampered covid relief. Chudar field worker Hema not allowed to give ration to higher caste families, and had to give excuse for drinking water in Irular #tribal house during relief work 13/n

Ravi - Casteist justification of #SocialDistancing is rampant among upper caste circles, needs to be countered by #solidarity. #Casteism has already killed during the Covid-19 crisis. frontline.thehindu.com/dispatches/art…

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#IndiaFightsCoronavirus