Protect the rights of the disabled in accordance with UN Convention: Karunanidhi tells Union Government

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the DMK patriarch Mr M Karunanidhi on Monday called upon the Union Government to enact a legislation to provide benefits for differently disabled people in accordance with the United Nations(UN) Convention Rights for Person with Disabilities Act, 2007.

The Chief Minister said in a statement that his government would take up the matter with the Centre for enacting fresh legislation to provide 3% reservation for disabled persons in Parliament and State legislatures.

Chief Minister Karunanidhi further said the state government would approach the Centre to secure the benefits, for which the differently disabled persons are entitled and bring them on par with normal people in the society.

To begin with, the state government would ask the Centre to provide the reservation earmarked differently disabled people in education and employment under the UN Act.

Pointing out the India was a signatory to the UN Act, Karunanidhi expressed confidence that the Centre would realize it was the seventh signatory to the Act and do the needful.

After film choreographer and actor Lawrence Raghavendra presented the disabled children and the benefits they secured from government scheme at a recent function, the Chief Minister said he happened to listen to a talk by Subah Veerapandian on Kalaignar TV this morning about the rights of differently disabled people. This prompted him to get to know about the UN Act, he said.

Subah Veerapandian, in his speech, had pointed out that schemes for the benefit of differently disabled persons had become ''right based''.

The government and voluntary organizations should stop distributing freebies to them.

He said the differently disabled people no longer expect anything free from the government. On the other hand, they expect the state and Centre to provide them what they were entitled for as per the UN Act.

Karunanidhi said after listening to the speech in the channel, he got to read the UN Act, which clearly said the differently disabled people should be given three per cent quota in employment in all government departments. They should also be given three per cent reservation in legislative assemblies and Parliament. There should be a separate ministry for differently disabled people and they should also be given scholarships in schools.

The Act also directs governments to take up a door-to-door census about differently disabled people and computerize the data.

The national identity card given to them should be the sole document to enable them to avail all benefits. They should also be given a 15-digit electronic ID card.

The Act made it clear that the family income of the differently disabled people should not be taken into account to make them eligible for benefits once they complete the age of 18 years.

Citing the family income, many differently disabled people are denied government benefits; Mr Karunanidhi regretted and assured that he would strive for their rightful benefits.

- Asian Tribune -