The Hindu : New Delhi News : Disability rights activist threatens fast over dismissal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 05, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Disability rights activist threatens fast over dismissal

Staff Reporter

Services of four differently-abled GAIL trainees terminated

Fighting for rights: Activists of Disabled Rights Group (DRG) on a dharna inside Gas Authority of India (GAIL) headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday demanding reinstatement of four- disabled employees of the company. Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI: Claiming that GAIL (India) Limited had committed "gross discrimination'' against four differently-abled people, disability rights activist Javed Abidi has threatened to go on a fast- unto-death from Thursday.

The four -- Rajpal, Rajiv Kumar, Pushpa Kumari and Anju Thapliyal -- were engaged as trainees with GAIL (India) Limited. "They were handed their termination letters on January 30, 2004, without any reasons. They were asked not to come for work anymore. How can they be dismissed arbitrarily? According to me, they were employees, not just trainees, with the organisation because they had worked there for close to three years. They were given extensions to keep them on,'' alleged Mr. Abidi during a press conference held here on Wednesday.

Demanding that the four be reinstated, he argued: "Why should these people be made to apply through advertisements? They have worked for some time already. That way, they will lose their seniority. Even the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has sent a letter to GAIL in November last year, asking them to create supernumerary posts of trainees for three people. If they don't listen to their own Ministry, what can we expect?''

Meanwhile, GAIL (India) Limited has issued a statement stating that the four in question were engaged in the capacity of trainees. It further states that "as per provisions of section 34 of the Persons With Disability Act, such trainees, irrespective of the length of the training could not be straightaway considered for regular employment without following the prescribed selection procedure which prescribes that applications has to be forwarded by Special Employment Exchanges or in response to the Advertisements''.

The statement also argues that the persons "were advised to get their names registered with Special Employment Exchanges''.

"GAIL is deliberately misguiding. They are hedging. Why are they are not directly answering the letter from the Ministry. Why are they not answering that?'' questioned Mr. Abidi.

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