Protest held over delay in passage of Disability Rights bill

Differently-abled people expressed anguish over non-passage of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill due to continuous ruckus in Parliament and demanded its clearance.

New Delhi: Scores of differently-abled people on Thursday held a protest, expressing anguish over non-passage of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill due to continuous ruckus in Parliament and demanded extension of the current session for its clearance.
The bill, which seeks to broaden the ambit of disability from existing seven to nineteen categories is stuck owing to disruptions in Parliament on other political issues.

With tomorrow being the last day of the session, there is little hope of its passage.

The protesters, including activists and physically challenged people, gathered at the Constitution Club and marched towards Parliament.
As they were stopped by police, they refused to court arrest and demanded that they be arrested and taken to jail.

Javed Abidi, convener of the Disabled Rights Group (DRG) who has fought a long battle for the bill to see the light of the day, said that if the bill is not passed now, then it means stalling it for around two years, as the country is going for elections.

"This is a non-political and non-contentious bill, if the government wants it could be passed within half-an-hour. There is lack of political will as far as this bill is concerned because they think that disabled people are not vote banks and this is not a political bill. There are 70 million such people in this country and their power should not be underestimated," he said.

Abidi said that they have met all political leaders and everybody says that "we are with you" but still the bill is not being passed.

"We met Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Prakash Karat and all of them have extended support for the bill. Grievance Redress Bill, the Whistleblowers Protection Bill, the Disability Rights Bill, and the SCs and STs (PoA) amendment bill - all of which have the support of all major political parties should be passed immediately," he said.

If the session needs to be extended to pass the bill that should be done, he added.

The Disability Rights Bill expands the definition of disability from seven to 19 and includes sickle cell disease, Thalassemia and muscular dystrophy besides autism spectrum disorder, blindness, cerebral palsy, chronic neurological conditions and mental illness.

It seeks to increase reservation for disabled persons in public sector jobs from existing three per cent to five per cent and reserve seats for them in higher educational institutions.

It also requires all recognised educational institutions to be inclusive and to provide reasonable accommodation.

The bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha amid din on February 7 by Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge but CPI-M demanded that it should be referred to a Standing Committee for further consideration.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien then said that Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari will look into the demand.

Ironically, the bill has not been opposed by any political party but is stuck owing to disruptions in Parliament on other issues such as Telangana.

"We appeal the government to discuss the contentious bills later and first pass the bills which are unanimously accepted by the parties," Abidi said.

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