To justify a separate temple by claiming that gender-diverse people "have no deity of their own" is to ignore centuries of subcontinental history and sacred traditions.

The piece questions a proposed Patna temple for PM Modi by a transgender welfare board, arguing it risks segregation, caste hierarchies and political deification while core needs like documents, safety, work and dignity remain unmet. Sanskriti Pandey asks: Should gratitude for basic rights ever replace the fight for equal access to every public space?