Karnataka transgender coalition writes open letter to Prime Minister opposing Amendment Bill
The Hindu
Karnataka's transgender coalition urges PM Modi to withdraw the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, citing risks to rights and self-identification.
The Karnataka State Gender and Sexuality Minorities Coalition has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 13, 2026 by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar.
Pointing out that the Indian legal framework, ever since the historic NALSA judgement, has been recognised for adopting a rights-based approach to resolving the problems faced by transgender community, the letter criticised that the proposed amendment sets the clock back on transgender rights.
The Bill narrows the definition of “transgender person” to those having socio-cultural identities such as kinner, hijra, aravani, jogta, or eunuch, persons with specified intersex variations or congenital variations at birth, and persons or children forced to assume a transgender identity through mutilation or castration.
Further, it specifically excludes persons with different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities.
The Bill, under its Statement of Objects and Reasons, also states that ‘The purpose (of the Act) was and is not to protect each and every class of persons with various gender identities, self-perceived sex/gender identities or gender fluidities.’
Pointing to this, the letter notes that the aim of the amendment is to exclude, instead of expanding rights.
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Karnataka's transgender coalition urges PM Modi to withdraw the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, citing risks to rights and self-identification.
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