Naval Officer to Write to PM On Getting Sacked After Sex Change

Manish Giri, a naval sailor, had undergone the sex change surgery in 2016 at a private facility while on leave.

Manish Giri allegedly underwent the sex change surgery last year while on leave.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter screen grab / Gaylaxy)

The Indian Navy on Monday sacked a sailor who had undergone a sex-change surgery in 2016, holding her guilty of breaching service rules.

The sailor said on Tuesday that she would move the Supreme Court against the decision.

Manish Kumar Giri, who has since changed her name to Sabi, told some TV channels she would fight for justice and also write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

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I remain the same old person with the same efficiency. How can they discharge me ... just because I underwent a sex change surgery? I will move the Supreme Court, if required, to fight for my right.

Sabi, Previously known as Manish Kumar Giri

Sabi, who was earlier serving the marine engineering wing at the Eastern Naval Command here, moved to the administrative wing after sex reassignment surgery.

I used to work on the ship. After the surgery, I was forced to stay away from the ship and work from the base. It is sad and worrying that I was found unfit to be a sailor just because of sex change

Sabi

She alleged Navy authorities tried to prove her "mentally unfit".

They mentally harassed me and kept me in a psychiatric ward for six months. They tried to prove I am mentally unfit but they failed.

Sabi, who was diagnosed with gender identity disorder, said she sought help from the naval doctors but was turned away.

Eventually, Sabi consulted civil doctors in Visakhapatnam, she said.

Manish Giri, a naval officer, had undergone the sex change surgery in August at a hospital in Mumbai when he was on leave. "The Indian Navy has discharged Manish Giri, a naval sailor, evoking the clause of 'Service No Longer Required' under the Navy regulations," the Navy said in a statement.

It said the sailor who underwent "sex reassignment surgery" while on leave was administratively discharged from the service. It said:

The individual chose to undergo irreversible gender re-assignment on his own accord, whilst on leave wilfully altering his gender status from the one he was recruited for at the time of his induction.

Giri was posted at a naval facility in Visakhapatnam. The Navy said:

He has breached the Recruitment Regulations and eligibility criteria for his employment as a sailor in the Indian Navy.

It said that the existing service rules and regulations do not permit the sailor's continued employment owing to his altered gender status, medical condition and "resultant employability restrictions".

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