Lucknow: Members of LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual) community took to the streets in the city on Sunday to protest against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026.Protesters marched from Begum Hazrat Mahal Park to Parivartan Chowk and then to KD Singh Babu Stadium, raising slogans such as “trans rights are human rights”, “no state control over identity” and “defend the Constitution”.The march, joined by members of the queer community, students, youth and women, ended with submission of a memorandum addressed to the President through ACP, Hazratganj, Akash Jaiswal. Protesters sought withholding of the bill and removal of Section 18, which they said criminalises identity and community support.They also demanded the bill be sent to the standing committee on social justice and empowerment for review and called for restoration of provisions of the 2019 Act supporting self-identification and protection from discrimination.“If we do not resist today, tomorrow rights of every citizen could be taken away,” said Priyanka, a trans woman. Another participant, Guddan, said the bill places identity under state control.
