Scores of J&K Handicapped Association (JKHA) members Monday camped at the Press Enclave here to launch an indefinite hunger strike against “government indifference ” towards their long pending demands.
“Every time we are promised that our demands will be raised in state assembly but nothing happens. This time we are holding an indefinite hunger strike just to awaken the callous government,” Abdul Rasheed Bhat, President, Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association told Kashmir Reader.
“Last time when we held indefinite strike, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured us that our demands will be addressed,” said Bhat, adding “but the promises proved hoax.”
According to Bhat there are 3.6 lakh physically challenged people in the Valley. “It is not the matter of few persons. The number of handicapped persons in the state is very huge,” said Bhat. “But the successive governments have ignored our plight,” he added.
Claiming that a huge number of people have lost their legs, eyes and hands during the years of insurgency, Bhat said the number has increased since extensively.
Demanding a higher education institution for the handicapped persons in the state, another member, Mohammad Shafi said, “Currently there is no school for the higher education in the Jammu and Kashmir for handicapped persons.”
“We do not need any promise what we want is concrete action on practical ground,” Shafi added.
“Government has sanctioned a meager rupees 400 per month for us which is in no way sufficient for us but even that amount is paid after lapse of months,” Shafi said. Shafi complained that government was showing “zero sympathy to us.”
The demands by the association include reservations in government jobs, enhancement of monthly pension from Rupees 400 to 1500, low interest loans, free education to the children of handicapped persons, to provide similar facilities as provided to SC and St categories, 50% concession in electricity bill, setting up of a handicapped advisory board, and introduction of Braille instruction based education system from primary to university level in the state. The JKHA also demands free medical aid in government hospital, opening of special counters for them in all government departments, provision of artificial limbs, free water connections and installation of solar lights near their houses and re-advertisement of backlog vacancies reserved for the handicapped persons.
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