'Cops lack sensitivity for disabled'

CHENNAI: Yet another effort by the differently-abled to reach out to the State government failed in the city when police lathi-charged a group of visually challenged people proceeding to meet Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who also holds the portfolio of their welfare.

The incident, which occurred on late Sunday, has come as a shock for the community who has for long been waging a battle for government jobs. In the incident, 22 visually challenged people were allegedly thrashed following arrests after they waited near the gates of the CM’s Gopalapuram residence around 8.45 pm.  

In the past four months, the differently abled  have staged 50 protests demanding filling up of vacancies as per a three per cent reservation under the Disablility Act 1995 entitled to them in all government jobs. In January, a differently abled person committed suicide in front of the CM’s residence demanding a job.

P Simmachandran, General Secretary of the Federation of Tamil Nadu physically handicapped Associations, termed Sunday’s incident as “atrocious”, noting that protesting was a basic right of every citizen.

“When political parties can stage protest in the middle of (the arterial) Mount Road in broad daylight, much to the discomfort of the common man, how can the police use force on a peaceful gathering of the visually challenged in one corner of the city after sunset?,” he asked.

T M N Deepak, Vice President of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Physically Handicapped Association, said the government would have to wake up to a situation where people were taking all possible means to reach out to the CM.

MDMK leader Vaiko condemned Sunday’s incident.

Activists say that there are over 8000 vacancies  in the Category A and B, and the government does not maintain any data on vacancies in Category C and D.