Soon, any kind of physical, sexual, emotional and even economical abuse of a transgender person could become a crime punishable with imprisonment of up to two years. This is according to the draft proposal on the 'Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2016' by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. According to the proposal, an imprisonment of at least six months and not more than two years, along with a fine will be imposed on those found guilty of compelling a transgender person to beg, denying them access to a public place, forcing or causing a transgender person to leave their house or village and harming or injuring their physical or mental well-being.

The offences include forcibly removing the 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.

The Bill provides recognition of transgender people before law and gives them rights and entitlements including reservation in education and government jobs under the OBC quota, if the person in question does not already belong to the SC/ST community.

It is modelled on the private members’ bill moved by MP Tiruchi Siva and passed by the Rajya Sabha on April 24, 2015.

According to the 2011 Census, there are 6 lakh people belonging to the transgender community. Even thought they have been recognised as the third sex, many still face discrimination and social isolation.