Dozens of members of the Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association
(JKHA), who are on an indefinite hunger strike since Monday, have
threatened self- immolation if the government fails to address their
demands.
“If our demands are not met by October 4, we will set ourselves on fire,” Abdul Rasheed Bhat, President JKHA, said on Tuesday at the Press Enclave here.
The JKHA, Rasheed said, had hoped that the hunger strike would “awaken the callous government from its deep slumber but nothing has happened so far.”
“Not even a single official from government has come here,” Rasheed said,
According to Bhat, there are 3.6 lakh physically challenged people in the Valley. “. The number of handicapped persons in Jammu and Kashmir is in lakhs but still the government is unmoved by our plight,” said Bhat.
Bhat said that following several days of hunger strike and protests by the disabled persons in May this year, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had “promised to fulfill our genuine demands but nothing has happened so far.”
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.
Meanwhile, a JKHA member, Farooq Ahmed Bandana of Handwara was shifted to SKIMS Soura after his condition deteriorated on the second day of the hunger strike.
“If our demands are not met by October 4, we will set ourselves on fire,” Abdul Rasheed Bhat, President JKHA, said on Tuesday at the Press Enclave here.
The JKHA, Rasheed said, had hoped that the hunger strike would “awaken the callous government from its deep slumber but nothing has happened so far.”
“Not even a single official from government has come here,” Rasheed said,
According to Bhat, there are 3.6 lakh physically challenged people in the Valley. “. The number of handicapped persons in Jammu and Kashmir is in lakhs but still the government is unmoved by our plight,” said Bhat.
Bhat said that following several days of hunger strike and protests by the disabled persons in May this year, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had “promised to fulfill our genuine demands but nothing has happened so far.”
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.
Meanwhile, a JKHA member, Farooq Ahmed Bandana of Handwara was shifted to SKIMS Soura after his condition deteriorated on the second day of the hunger strike.
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