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Dillu Budujha, a third gender living in Myagdi district, got a citizenship certificate on Friday recognising his gender status.
Born a female, Budujha grew up exhibiting male characteristics. He is the second person to get citizenship after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the government to issue certificates to individuals claiming to be third gender denizens. Earlier, Bishnu Adhikari of Kaski had received citizenship as a result of the verdict.
“I’m excited. I feel I have got a most precious belonging that I had been deprived of ever since my birth,” he said. “Nobody’s identity should be shadowed. I deserve this and hope others of my kind will get their dream of getting citizenship come true.” Budujha works for the Blue Diamond Society as a rights activist.
Myagdi Chief District Officer Ram Bahadur Kurumbang said giving Budujha the citizenship card was not a problem. He said he would not hesitate to issue certificates to third-gender individuals, mentioning their identity.
“I am glad that I gave Dillu his true identity. It’s the birthright of people like him and even the Interim Constitution outlaws discriminating anyone in terms of gender,” he said.
In the gender column of the citizenship papers which Budujha received is marked “third sex”. In general practice, citizenship is issued to either a male or a female. Before the SC verdict, Chanda Musalman of Nepalgunj had received the citizenship in which “both” was written under the gender column. In the card issued to Ruma Ale of Palpa, gender was mentioned as “both—male and female”.
One of the activists said granting citizenship to third gender people is no big deal if the Ministry of Home Affairs is positive about their status in
society.
“Many district officials are still reluctant to issue citizenship to the sexual minority despite the SC order,” said lawmaker and Blue Diamond Society president Sunil Babu Pant. “I will ask the prime minister to issue a circular to all the district officials immediately to issue citizenship IDs to third gender people without any hesitation,” he said, speaking to the Post