Maneka apologises for her remarks on transgenders

New Delhi : Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Maneka Gandhi on Monday apologised for the remarks she made on transgenders while presenting the anti-trafficking bill in the Lok Sabha last week.

“I sincerely apologise for using the term ‘other ones’ during the debate on the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018, in Lok Sabha. I did not ‘snigger’, I was embarrassed at my own lack of knowledge,” she tweeted.

Gandhi, while addressing MP Shashi Tharoor’s concern on harassment to be faced by sex workers under the bill, used the term “other ones” and sniggered saying “TGs”, referring to transgenders.

“I was not aware of the official terminology for the transgender community. In future, all official communication will use the term TGs. I would like to assure that the Anti-Trafficking Bill 2018 is gender neutral and provides protection to the aggrieved,” she said.

IANS