Patna: In a first for Bihar, the Raj Bhavan invited members of the transgender community to the swearing-in ceremony of the new chief minister, Samrat Choudhary.Rajan Singh of the state’s Transgender Board and Suraiya Nayak represented the community at the event, marking the first time the group was formally included in a cabinet induction at the governor’s residence. The community members characterised the invitation as a significant milestone for the community’s social recognition and involvement in official state proceedings.Singh, the acting vice-chairperson of the board, said that “Previously, we have never been invited to such things because our community did not have any representation at the state level. However, under former CM Nitish Kumar, this welfare board for transgenders was built, and now we have been made a part of such a ceremony.”He added that this invitation is just the first step. As Bihar for the first time has a BJP CM, who has thought about including the ‘lowest, most ignored strata of the society’ in the oath ceremony, Singh believes that the newly formed govt will work for increased inclusivity and representation of the trans community in Bihar.
