Bengaluru, 9 March

The Movement for Gender and Sexual Pluralism has condemned the Karnataka government for failing to address the concerns of gender and sexual minorities in the 2025-26 state budget. Despite repeated appeals ahead of the budget session, the government's neglect of the community's welfare has sparked outrage.

Co-chairperson Vaishali Byali expressed deep disappointment over the government's inaction, stating that the community's key demands were ignored in the budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on 7 March. "We held press conferences across ten districts and submitted our demands, but they were not addressed," she said.

Manohar Elavarthi, a state committee member, criticised the government for failing to fulfill its pre-poll promises. "The Congress had assured Rs 2 Lakh financial aid for entrepreneurship and a  Rs 200crore significant annual budget for our development, but the allocated funds are grossly inadequate," he stated.

Kanta Devi, Co-Chairperson, accused the government of pushing gender minorities towards begging and sex work by failing to provide livelihood support. "The government is crushing our dignity," she said.

The forum demanded comprehensive support, including housing schemes, entrepreneurship assistance, free sex reassignment surgeries, job coaching, and a separate corporation with a dedicated annual budget.