India is Hungry to be Heard

To protest against the non-inclusion of people with disabilities in the Committee formed to draft India's New Disability Act 15 disability leaders to go on a Hunger Strike from 9th June in front of Shastri Bhawan.

After eight months of consistent advocacy led by Disabled Rights Group (DRG), the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) finally conceded to the disability sector’s demand for a brand new law on disability reflecting the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). On April 30, MSJE formed a Committee to draft a new legislation to replace the Disability Act of 1995. However, while doing so, they overlooked the basic tenet of UNCRPD and the bedrock of the disability rights movement - ‘Nothing about Us, Without Us.’ The 27 odd member Committee has only 3 people with disabilities!

Javed Abidi, Convenor DRG, met Minister MSJE, Shri Mukul Wasnik on May 26 to convey the anxiety and disappointment of the entire disability sector at the choice of members of the Committee. But the Minister did not agree to reconsider or even to include more disabled people in the Committee. Disabled leaders from across the country and across disabilities held a candle light vigil on May 29 in front of the Minister’s residence as a mark of protest. Following this, a delegation of 12 disabled leaders met the Minister on May 30, again without any conclusive outcome.

To strongly protest against this move and to reiterate our demand that the Committee should be inclusive, 15 disabled leaders from the Southern States of India will sit on an indefinite hunger strike on June 9 outside Shastri Bhawan. Convenor DRG, Javed Abidi will also be joining them. As the word spreads, there is every possibility that more and more disabled people will join the Indefinite Hunger Strike.

They demand that people with disabilities should be an integral part of the decision making process of drafting the new law, that will determine the future of 70 million disabled people of the country for years to come. The voice of people with disabilities will have to be heard this time around.

You can write to Rajiv Rajan (Tamil Nadu) dlu.south@gmail.com; to Paul Ramanathan (Karnataka) paulramanathan@gmail.com; and M. Srinivasulu (Andhra Pradesh) paulramanathan@gmail.com


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