BENGALURU: The Coalition of Sex Workers and Sexual Minorities’ Rights, Karnataka, has expressed concerns with the Transgender Persons Bill and the Trafficking of Persons Bill, terming them ‘regressive’. Both the bills are currently pending before the Rajya Sabha.

The body does not want the Bills to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha, and instead wants them to be referred to a select committee of the Upper House.As per a release issued by the body, the Transgender Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha without any community consultation and it does not address concerns or demands of the community. “The Bill is inadequate for the protection of transgender people as it upholds the criminalisation of transgenders for traditional sources of income such as begging, while denying any opportunities in education, employment and healthcare or recognising rights to marriage, adoption and property,” the release states.

Regarding the Trafficking Bill, the body claims that the sentencing policy is not clear and excessive powers have been vested in the police. It is further alleged that the Bill criminalizes the administration of hormones and other medicine and does not distinguish between voluntary sex work and trafficking.
Nisha Gulur, Programme Manager of Sangama Foundation, an organisation that advocates for rights of sexual minorities, said the next step was a protest at Town Hall on Saturday.