Leaders of Associations for Blind Plead Help of AIMIM MLA for Solving Their Woes

Hyderabad: K Srinivas, secretary, Development & Welfare Association of the Blind, Hyderabad and K Madhusudhan Rao, PRO, All India Confederation of the Blind, Delhi met Mir Zulfeqar Ali, MLA, Charminar Constituency, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) at their headquarters in Hyderabad to represent the long pending issues of Blind community. They also thanked the AIMIM MLA for responding positively to their appeals and assuring that they would take up their issues with government at appropriate forums, particularly for appointment of Independent State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.

The MLA also prepared a letter addressed to Chief Secretary to respect the High Court Order given in December 2024 for appointment of Independent State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities within six weeks. The Blind Community has been consistently requesting the Governments of Telangana since 2016 to implement the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 came into existence in 2016. One of the important rules was to appoint an Independent State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities with judicial powers as per the RPWD Act 2016 Section 79(1). Instead of implementing the rule, the successive governments have been giving additional responsibility to the existing Director for Disabled Welfare who is a government employee. “This practice is continuing since 2016. If the responsibilities of both the State Commissioner and the Director are held by the same person, it defeats the natural justice and undermines the cause of disabled welfare. Any violation in implementation of RPWD Act by the Government officials will have to be brought to the notice of the Independent State Commissioner, who has judicial powers. In the present case, there is no provision as the Commissioner and the Director is one person.

Successive governments since 2016 have been turning a blind eye to the cause of Disabled people in general and blind people in particular. By giving monthly pensions of Rs 4016/- with the demand from disabled to increase up to Rs 6000/- and giving other freebies to disabled, the government has been trying to escape from its responsibility of uplifting and empowering the disabled people. The Governments are also trying to ensure that there is no platform to question any violations in implementation of Acts and Rules. The Governments are going to the extent of ignoring even Court Orders for implementing the rules.

“On our Writ petition, the Telangana High Court issued orders on December 12, 2024 to appoint an Independent State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities within six weeks, but it is now more than three months and there is no information about this appointment. There is no response from the Government to our various follow up letters regarding this court order. We have been consistently requesting the officials and Ministers to give us an opportunity to meet them in person to explain our issues but all our requests are falling on their deaf ears. We have been submitting several appeals, but there is total apathy towards the disabled in general and blind people in particular. This may be because we do not come under their vote banks. By just doling out freebies like laptops for blind, modified vehicles for disabled and giving monthly pensions, the government is trying to shut the mouths of disabled people and make them dependent for life on their freebies”, said Ponugoti Chokka Rao,

Vice-President, All India Confederation of the Blind, Delhi & General Secretary, Development & Welfare Association of the Blind, Hyderabad.