Parliament passed Transgender rights amendment Bill amid Opposition protest
In his response to the debate, Virendra Kumar, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, emphasized in the Rajya Sabha that this bill is not just an amendment to the existing law but is a law aimed at providing social reform for those who are discriminated against due to their identity and social boycott. He said the bill would help the transgender community live with dignity.
Kumar underlined that the Narendra Modi distribution works for the equal rights of all under the slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. This has now become a national commitment. “This law is for those who are subjected to serious social discrimination through no fault of their own. A child cannot know what kind of shape he will be born in while in his mother’s womb,” he said.
On how to identify transgender individuals, who the opposition and some segments of the society claim that the bill does not provide justice, the minister emphasized that the aim is to identify those who are discriminated against as transgender individuals in society.
“This bill strengthens and reshapes the law adopted nearly seven years ago (in 2019) for those who were boycotted because of their genetic problems. This is a guarantee that their dignity and rights will be protected. I want to give full assurance to the Parliament on this issue,” he said, adding that the government wants transgender people to receive the same rights afforded to other citizens.
Kumar explained that the changes were made taking into account the experiences in the implementation of the 2019 legislation to make the law more robust.
The opposition had problems with the bill and insisted that the government either withdraw it or send it to the Select Committee of the Upper House. Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury, who started the debate, questioned how the medical board could determine who is transgender and argued that it is not just a physical problem but also one of the person’s mental make-up. He accused the government of being arrogant and insensitive towards the cause of transgender people. Chowdhury highlighted that there are an estimated five lakh transgenders in India and claimed that the government does not understand how they are discriminated against or identified. These include same-sex marriage, binary divisions, and cultural aspects associated with transgender people. He requested the deletion of 15 articles in the bill in its current form.
Tiruchi Siva (DMK), who is at the forefront regarding the rights of transgender individuals, claimed that injustice was done to them in this bill. Articles 14, 15 and 19 of the Constitution are violated and the law will be annulled by the Supreme Court. “You criminalize transgender people and put them behind bars,” he said.
Siva argued that social justice falls under the Concurrent List and states should be consulted. He also questioned the criteria by which transgender people should be identified and pushed for dignity and equality in society.
Jaya Bachchan (SP), Priyanka Chaturvedi (SS-UBT) and Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) were among the Opposition members who spoke on the Bill.
