The Hindu : National : Manmohan favours disabled-friendly laws

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Manmohan favours disabled-friendly laws

Aarti Dhar

Assurance to delegation which met him in Parliament

— PHOTO: V. SUDHERSAN

FIGHTING FOR THEIR RIGHTS:Physically challenged persons, under the banner of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled and led by CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, march on Parliament Street in New Delhi on Tuesday to press their demands.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the government was in favour of amending laws, if need be, to make them more disabled-friendly.

He gave this assurance to a delegation of differently-abled persons who met him in Parliament.

“The Prime Minister was extremely sympathetic to the demands of the disabled persons and said their demands were genuine,” pointed out CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat, who led the delegation. The Prime Minister interacted with the members and enquired about their problems.

Talking to The Hindu, Ms. Karat said this was the first time a delegation of differently-abled persons had visited Parliament House. “It was pointed out to the Parliament staff that there was only one gate (Gate no 9) in Parliament House for the physically disabled people and this was far away from the main entrance.”

New law coming

The delegation also met the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik, who said the government was finalising a new law for the disabled that would replace the existing one.

Earlier, a large number of people with different forms of disabilities marched to Parliament House to demand a better deal.

Marching under the banner of the ‘National Platform for the Rights of Disabled Persons,' they highlighted the plight of the economically and socially disadvantaged among the disabled, the poor, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

“The basic issue is that of the approach of the government and we must request you to consider our demands not as an act of charity but as fulfilment of entitlements and rights as equal citizens of India. India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities, which enjoins the government to ensure minimum rights and livelihood to disabled citizens,'' the marchers said in a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister.

Their main demands are a comprehensive social security system, including Antyodaya cards, for all persons with disabilities and their families, free health care for disabled persons, amendments to the Right to Education Act to make a provision for disabled teachers and professionals, and identification of jobs for the disabled immediately with a special annual recruitment drive every year.

The memorandum sought, besides the setting up of a separate ministry for disability affairs, issuance of a universally valid identity card and replacement of the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) in consonance with the provisions of the U.N. Convention. Another demand was proper enumeration of the persons with disabilities.

The organisations which participated in the march included the Paschimbanga Rajya Pratibandhi Samaiilani, the Differently-abled Persons Welfare Federation of Thiruvananthapuram, the Karnataka Rajya Angavikalara Mattu Palakara Okkota, the Jharkhand Vikalanga Morcha, the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of all types of Disabled and Caregivers and the Vibhinna Prathiba Vanthula Jakkula Vedika of Andhra Pradesh.

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