Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (9 November) said the government needs to ‘change its outlook’ on transgender people.

This was the first time Modi has spoken about India’s estimated 700,000 ‘hijras’ since becoming leader in May 2014, a month after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision recognizing transgender people as a third gender.

‘Can you imagine how much apathy they face?’ he said at a Legal Services Day, organized by the National Legal Services Authority.

‘The almighty has given them what he had to give but who are we to treat them unjustly? We will have to develop the system… We will have to bring changes to the legal system, amend the rules. The government will have to change its outlook.’

His government objected to the apex court ruling, arguing that the inclusion of transgender people as an ‘other backward class,’ which guarantees them quotas in education and employment, ‘may pose problems both practically and politically.’

‘We will need to assimilate everyone… include everyone,’ Modi continued.

‘We will have to do something for everyone and when you take such an initiative, I believe there is a great advantage.’