Sex-workers demand legalisation of profession

Kolkata, May 11 (PTI) The sex-workers of the capital city
of India's eastern state of West Bengal, who until last 15
years were "intimidated" by political parties to cast proxy
votes and mobilise polls in many areas, have this time put
forward a charter of demands to legalise their profession.

Thirty-five candidates contesting the parliamentary polls
have signed the charter of demands of sex-workers forum which
asked for legalisation of the profession and formation of a
government-recognised self-regulatory board, Swapna Gyen, an
executive committee member of Durbar Mahila Samanwaya
Committee, which consist of around 65,000 sex-workers and
thousands of associates, said.

The Durbar had demanded the Election Commission to issue
voter ID cards for sex-workers and around 500 girls have so
far been issued the cards as members of Usha Cooperative
Society run by the Durbar, Gyen, a former secretary of the
Durbar, said.

Referring to the plight of sex-workers in red light
areas of the city in 80's and 90's, Bharati Dey, project
director of the Durbar, said, "We were constantly bullied
during the 80s and 90s when our identities as voters were
never considered.

"All I was asked to do was to cast votes for as many
people as possible wearing different dresses and mobilise at
least 200 votes in my area for the party which wielded clout
through clubs and local youth."

Another sex-worker Kaveri Sarkar echoed similar views.

"We were sternly ordered to carry sets of dresses and
accompany the party boys on the poll day to different booths
and if we dared to protest, we were threatened," Sarkar said.

There was never a request, but only a blunt order to
arrange for votes and participate in proxy voting, she added.

There had been a sea-change in the mentality of the girls
after the Durbar mobilised them on the core demand of right to
livelihood around 10 years back.

"They have become vocal against any intimidation by local
musclemen, agents, pimps and even clients and we have been
coordinating with the police to stop use of force against the
girls," Dey said.

Gayen, who put the figure of sex-workers living in the
city at about 50,000, said that they have asked all girls to
freely exercise their franchise and take up with the Durbar
any case of threat or intimidation.

All though society's basic attitude towards sex-workers
has not changed, but with the girls becoming more assertive it
will be a tough call to take them for granted, she asserted.

Pointing out that the organisation had proposed
deputation of sex-workers as polling personnel in certain
booths after reports that the Election Commission fell short
of 20,000 polling personnel, Dey regretted the proposal had
fallen through. PTI