A delegation of transgenders called on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday seeking his support on the changes proposed by the Central Government after a private members bill moved by DMK Member of Parliament Tiruchi Siva was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2015. This became the first private members bill to be passed in the upper House of the Parliament in 45 years.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation that the Delhi government and the Aam Aadmi Party share their concerns on ‘The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016’, currently pending in the Lok Sabha.
After the passage of this bill in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Cabinet proposed a series of changes in the bill, currently pending in the Lok Sabha. These changes have been opposed by the transgender community. The delegation also informed the Chief Minister that the changes made by the Centre defeat the basic purpose of the bill. They also objected the definition of the transgenders mentioned in the Government’s draft.