Click to play videoNew Delhi: After the massive tragedy in East Delhi on Sunday night that killed 15 people, the Delhi Government is still busy trying to identify the deceased.
Authorities also have another problem at hand and that is to find out who to provide compensation to as most of the eunuchs who died in the fire don't have a family.
Outside the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, victims of the Nandnagri fire tragedy mourn the loss of their loved ones.
Vedana has just lost Sonia her 'chela' or follower who had been living with her since childhood.
"She was like my child. I took care of her since her childhood," Vedana said.
Who is the next of the kin? This is perhaps the biggest dilemma for the government. While they are ready to hand over compensation they have no idea who to give it to.
GC Meena, Deputy Commissioner, said, "According to government laws, we can only give the money to the next of the kin. We don't recognise the Guru-Chela relationship."
For the eunuch community the guru is equivalent to a mother and a chela the same as a daughter. They spend their entire lives together.
When we told these eunuchs that the government doesn't recognise their relationships, they lost their cool.
"Government should think about us," an eunuch said.
It's a community that lives on its own terms away from public view. While government officials say there is no provision to distribute compensation amongst the gurus and chelas of the deceased, perhaps its time to do a rethink on laws to include the family patterns of this section of society.
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