In many Indian cities, people sometimes encounter transgender or hijra individuals asking for money at traffic signals, near railway stations, on buses and trains, outside shops and at other public places.
Some members of the public have complained about persistent requests for money, blocking a person’s path, clapping or shouting, touching vehicles or people, or refusing to leave after being asked.
Such conduct, when it occurs, can make people uncomfortable and may cross the line into harassment.
However, it is important to make one distinction very clear:
The behaviour of some individuals should not be used to label an entire transgender or hijra community.
India’s transgender population includes people working in many professions, and government policy itself recognises their rights to education, employment, healthcare and social security. The 2011 Census recorded 4,87,803 people under the “Others” sex category, although the government notes that this category was broader than transgender people alone.
📸 Why Do We See Begging at Traffic Signals and Public Places?
The traditional hijra community has a long history in South Asia.
Some members have historically earned money through:
- Blessings at weddings and childbirth
- Ceremonial performances
- Begging or soliciting money
- Community-based occupations
Economic exclusion has also played an important role.
The National Human Rights Commission has noted continuing problems involving employment disparities, limited healthcare access, education and social exclusion affecting transgender people.
For some people, therefore, street-based income becomes a survival strategy.
But economic hardship does not give anyone the right to intimidate or harass another person.
⚠️ When Does Begging Become Harassment?
Simply asking someone for money is not necessarily the same as harassment.
The problem arises when a person allegedly uses behaviour such as:
🚗 Blocking vehicles
Standing in front of a car or preventing a driver from moving can create a dangerous situation.
🚶 Blocking pedestrians
A person may feel threatened if someone deliberately prevents them from walking away.
💰 Repeatedly demanding money
A request can become problematic when the individual continues after a clear refusal.
🤚 Unwanted physical contact
Touching someone without consent is unacceptable regardless of the person’s gender identity.
🗣️ Threatening or abusive language
Threats, intimidation or abusive behaviour can potentially become a criminal or public-order matter depending on the circumstances.
🚦 Creating traffic danger
Approaching moving vehicles or standing between vehicles can put both pedestrians and motorists at risk.
These standards should apply equally to everyone.
❗ Don’t Blame the Entire Hijra Community
This is perhaps the most important part of the discussion.
There are transgender people in India who are:
👩🏫 Teachers
👩⚕️ Healthcare workers
⚖️ Lawyers
👮 Police personnel
🏢 Office employees
🎭 Artists
🏛️ Politicians
👩💼 Entrepreneurs
🧑💻 Professionals
🤝 Social workers
Therefore, it would be inaccurate and unfair to say:
“All hijras harass the public.”
The correct statement is:
Some individuals may engage in aggressive or intimidating begging practices, and complaints about such behaviour should be addressed without discriminating against the wider transgender community.
🇮🇳 Supreme Court Recognition of Transgender Rights
India’s Supreme Court recognised transgender persons as a third gender in the landmark NALSA v. Union of India judgment in 2014.
The Court recognised the right of transgender persons to legal recognition and directed governments to take steps concerning education, healthcare, social welfare and protection from discrimination.
This was a historic development in Indian constitutional law.
It also means that discussions about public behaviour must happen within the framework of equal rights and dignity.
⚖️ What Does Indian Law Say?
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 was enacted to protect transgender persons from discrimination and provide for welfare measures.
The law addresses areas including:
- Education
- Employment
- Healthcare
- Residence
- Welfare
- Identity
- Grievance redressal
- Protection from abuse
The law also contains offences involving harm, abuse, obstruction of access to public places and forced or bonded labour.
🆕 Important 2026 Legal Development
India amended the transgender-rights law in 2026.
Among the changes were stronger offences concerning forcing a person to present as transgender and engage in begging, servitude or bonded labour.
For an adult victim, the new provision provides for 5–10 years’ imprisonment and a minimum ₹1 lakh fine; for a child, it provides 10–14 years’ imprisonment and a minimum ₹3 lakh fine.
This provision is aimed at coercive exploitation, not at criminalising every transgender person who begs.
That distinction is extremely important.
🚨 Begging Does Not Automatically Mean Criminal Activity
India’s approach to begging is complicated because laws vary among states and Union Territories.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment says 20 States and 2 Union Territories have enacted or adopted anti-begging legislation, while the provisions and implementation differ across jurisdictions. The Centre’s stated approach is increasingly rehabilitative rather than purely punitive.
Therefore, there is no simple national rule saying:
“Every person begging on the street should be arrested.”
The legal position depends on the location, behaviour and applicable state law.
🏛️ Government’s Rehabilitation Approach
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment operates the SMILE — Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise scheme.
It includes separate components for:
- Comprehensive rehabilitation of transgender persons
- Rehabilitation of people engaged in begging
The programme focuses on areas such as:
🏠 Shelter
🩺 Healthcare
🧠 Counselling
📚 Education
🛠️ Skill development
💼 Livelihood opportunities
💰 Economic linkages
The objective is to provide alternatives to vulnerable people rather than relying only on punishment.
👮 What Should Police Do When Harassment Is Reported?
If a person—regardless of gender identity—is threatening, assaulting or intimidating members of the public, the appropriate response should be based on the actual conduct and applicable law, not on the person’s identity.
Police can:
- Receive complaints.
- Assess whether an offence has occurred.
- Take action under the applicable law.
- Prevent immediate danger.
- Avoid discriminatory treatment.
- Refer vulnerable persons toward rehabilitation and welfare services where appropriate.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also directed states and UTs to establish Transgender Protection Cells and state-level mechanisms for monitoring offences, registration, investigation, prosecution and sensitisation.
📢 What Should an Ordinary Citizen Do?
If you experience aggressive begging or harassment:
1️⃣ Stay calm
Do not escalate the situation through shouting or physical confrontation.
2️⃣ Clearly refuse
A simple “No, thank you” is generally better than an argument.
3️⃣ Move to a safe location
If you feel threatened, go to a shop, police booth, security post or other populated place.
4️⃣ If there is immediate danger, seek police assistance
If someone threatens, assaults, blocks you or damages property, report the specific conduct.
5️⃣ Don’t retaliate
Do not hit, abuse or publicly humiliate someone because of their gender identity.
6️⃣ Don’t generalise
One person’s conduct should not become a reason to discriminate against thousands of innocent transgender people.
📊 What Do We Actually Know About the Scale?
There is no reliable national government dataset showing how many transgender people engage in begging or how many members of the public are harassed by transgender beggars.
This is important because social-media videos can create an impression that a particular behaviour is universal when it may represent only a small portion of the population.
The 2011 Census figure of 4,87,803 “Others” should also not be interpreted as the exact current transgender population, because the category included people beyond transgender persons. The Social Justice Ministry itself explains this limitation.
🧩 Why Does This Problem Continue?
There is no single reason.
Several factors can overlap:
💼 Employment discrimination
If someone cannot find stable employment, street-based income may become an option.
🏠 Family rejection
Some transgender people face rejection or separation from family.
🎓 Education barriers
Dropping out of school can reduce future employment opportunities.
🏥 Healthcare barriers
Discrimination and lack of accessible healthcare can create additional vulnerability.
👥 Social exclusion
NHRC has repeatedly identified discrimination and exclusion as major concerns.
💰 Informal income systems
Traditional community structures can provide income and support, but they can also create complex power relationships.
⚖️ The Real Solution: Rights + Responsibility
India needs to address both sides of the issue.
For transgender citizens:
Dignity + safety + education + employment + healthcare + housing
For the general public:
Safety + freedom of movement + protection from intimidation + access to police and legal remedies
For government:
Enforcement + rehabilitation + employment opportunities + welfare + accountability
A fair society cannot protect one group’s rights by ignoring another person’s safety.
At the same time, protecting the public does not require humiliating or discriminating against an entire community.
🇮🇳 What Can Be Done?
A long-term solution could include:
🛠️ More skill-training programmes
Provide practical training linked to real jobs.
💼 Employment opportunities
Encourage businesses to recruit transgender workers without discrimination.
🏠 Safe shelters
Expand accessible and properly funded shelters.
📚 Education
Prevent school and college dropout caused by discrimination.
👮 Sensitised policing
Police should protect transgender people while also responding fairly to complaints against anyone who commits an offence.
📱 Public awareness
People should understand both transgender rights and public responsibilities.
💰 Better rehabilitation
Government schemes should be implemented effectively at the local level.
NHRC’s 2026 Advisory 2.0 has called for action on education, healthcare, employment, property rights, police procedures, grievance mechanisms and stronger transgender-inclusive welfare systems.
🕊️ A Balanced Message to Society
It is perfectly legitimate for a citizen to say:
“I do not want to give money, and please do not force or intimidate me.”
It is equally important to say:
“A transgender person deserves the same dignity, safety and legal protection as every other citizen.”
These two principles can exist together.
Respect does not mean accepting harassment.
And
stopping harassment does not mean discriminating against an entire community.
That is the balanced approach India needs.
🇮🇳 Conclusion
The issue of transgender or hijra people asking for money in public places is a complex social issue involving poverty, traditional community practices, discrimination, employment exclusion, public safety and individual responsibility.
There may be genuine complaints about aggressive begging or harassment by some individuals. Such complaints should be taken seriously and addressed according to law.
But it would be unfair and factually wrong to portray the entire transgender community as aggressive or criminal.
India’s current policy direction increasingly combines legal protection, police accountability and rehabilitation. The government operates the SMILE scheme, while NHRC has continued to push for stronger education, employment, healthcare, police and welfare measures.
The goal should be simple:
A safer public space for everyone — and equal dignity for every citizen. 🇮🇳
🇮🇳 MANA BHARATHAM
Stories, Facts & Wonders From India
✍️ Written by Pasupuleti Saida Rao
