Forcing transgenders into beggary may soon be treated as act of ‘atrocity’

Forcing a transgender person into beggary may soon be treated as an act of "atrocity and violence" against them.In a significant move, a chapter detailing a series of offences which shall be treated as atrocity and violence against trangender people has been added to the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2015, redrafted by the Social Justice Ministry.

The offences include forcibly removing clothes of a person of the transgender community, parading them naked or committing any act that is derogatory to human dignity, and compelling or enticing a transgender to beg or do similar forms of forced or bonded labour other than any compulsory service for public purposes imposed by government.

It also includes wrongfully dispossessing a transgender from his or her land or premises and forcing or causing a transgender to leave house, village or other place of residence.

Intentionally insulting or intimidating with intent to humiliate a transgender person in any place within public view, assaulting or using force on them to dishonour or outrage their modesty, denying the right of passage to a place of public resort and preventing them from using such a resort which others members have a right to use or access will fall within the ambit of atrocities.

"The Bill has been redrafted and new chapters and provisions have been included following inputs from stakeholders concerned during the pre-legislative consultation meeting held on January 18. The Bill will now be sent to Law Ministry," said a senior official of the Social Justice Ministry.

Besides, as per the redrafted Bill, the Union government will, by a notification, constitute a National Council for Transgender Persons to advise central and state governments on the entire gamut of issues related to transgenders for improvement of their quality of life.