KOCHI: "I can not suffer starvation anymore. When I tried to make ends meet by doing an honourable job, all I got was denial and harassment", said Ranju Mohan, transgender woman who was fired by the Kochi Metro. "I can not beg from now on. Everyone has an issue with my gender. All my friends now say that I don't have to be dejected and I should look for another job. But how? I may have to sell my body now, I have no other option left", said Ranju.

Ranju said that she was terminated for a mistake that was not committed by her.

Though the media celebrated Kochi Metro's decision to hire transgenders, things were not that simple. "I was not a government staff, I was just working for a company which hired staff for the post of ticket collectors in Kochi metro. I have seen many reports and channel debates where many people raise their voice for the rights of transgender people. However, in reality we were always second citizens. I had recieved Rs 10000 as salry. That was not enough for a month. So, I begged for money. Once, a senior officer scolded me in front of everyone for a small mistake. I told him that the mistake was not committed by me, it occured as the sytem was down. But, they did not hear it. They told me to quit the job. This would not have happened to someone else", she said.

"After apologizing, I got the job back. However, fate was not on my side. I was attacked by a man in Ernakulam KSRTC stand while I was returning from the metro. His intentions were not good. I told him that I was not that kind of a person. He stole my bag and ran away. I complained it to the police. When I reached back in the office, they told me that they cannot give job to prostitutes. I cannot tolerate the fact that they see us only as prostitutes. I had always wished to die", Ranju revealed.