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| Persons with disabilities allege discrimination by Govt, hold protest on World Disability Day | | | 
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Dec 3: The International Day of Disabled Persons (World Disability Day) was observed today globally. The day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
However, instead of celebrating their ‘special day’ today several physically-challenged people in Jammu as well as Srinagar observed the day as ‘Black Day’ and were on roads to lodge a protest against the Union Territory Government for not redressing their long pending demands.
A large number of persons with disabilities under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Welfare Association (JKHWA) staged a protest near Press Club of Jammu to highlight their demands. Protesting handicapped persons while shouting anti-government slogans said that they were forced by the establishment to come on streets as it is not showing seriousness to redress their long pending demands.
The persons with disabilities shouted slogans against the Social Welfare Department and also in favour of their demands for what they called wrong policies regarding the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
“Majority of the states in India are providing constructive schemes for the welfare and upliftment of the disabled people, but the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has failed to provide assistance and introduce welfare schemes for such people here,” one of the protesters alleged.
“We are celebrating World Disability Day as black day viz holding protests in Jammu and Srinagar as our demands are not redressed till today,” he asserted.
He demanded a hike in pension for the disabled persons, implementation of schemes for the welfare of handicapped persons through the Social Welfare Department, one representative in the already constituted Expert Committee and Advisory Board under Disability Act 2016.
“We demand that our rights be upheld and the schemes for handicapped people be implemented without delay,” he said.
Another protester said that the Government in Jammu and Kashmir is not serious about redressing the issues of the handicapped persons and is forcing them to hold protest.
“Today is World Disability Day and this occasion is just like a festival for us but with not enough money in our hands we can't celebrate the day. So we decided to observe this day as Black Day,” he said.
“We are deeply hurt with the apathetic attitude of the government towards our long pending demands. I think the Government has a habit of making only false promises with us. If the people at the helm of affairs can’t fulfill the promises they make then they should avoid giving such assurances,” he added.
He further stated that the Government had promised to enhance disability pension when they held a hunger strike here in the past.
“We had raised the demand of increasing disability pension to Rs 5000 but the administration agreed for Rs 3000 instead. Government had assured us that the pension will be hiked to Rs 3000 before Darbar moves from Jammu to Srinagar but the offices again returned back here but it didn't happen till date,” he said.
Meanwhile, the disabled persons under the banner of J&K Handicapped Association held a protest rally in Srinagar against the alleged non-serious approach of the UT Government in addressing the problems of the persons with disabilities viz a viz introducing welfare schemes for their benefit. |
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