Ramesh Sarraf Dhamora
Disability is seen as a social stigma in society, which needs to be addressed. This year’s theme for World Disability Day is promoting disability-inclusive societies to advance social progress. It underscores the importance of empowering persons with disabilities to shape their own destiny and play a leading role in contributing to society. In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly declared December 3rd as International Day of Persons with Disabilities every year.
The government has enacted numerous policies for persons with disabilities in the country. They receive reservations in government jobs, hospitals, railways, and buses. The government also has a pension scheme for the disabled. However, all these government schemes have become a joke for those with disabilities, as they lack a disability certificate to access these benefits. The purpose of this observance was to promote the rights of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and to raise awareness about them in political, social, economic, and cultural life. However, even today, people are unaware of how many disabled people live around us. Whether they are enjoying equal rights in society or not is not something anyone cares about.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated that people with physical disabilities possess a “divine ability,” and the term “Divyang” should be used instead of “Viklang.” The Prime Minister appealed for the disabled to be referred to as “Divyang” (Divyang). His reasoning was that people with disabilities possess certain God-given special qualities. The term “Viklang” discourages them. Following Prime Minister Modi’s call, people across the country began referring to the disabled as “Divyang,” but public attitudes toward them have remained unchanged. Even today, people in society continue to view the disabled with a pitiful gaze. Even though many disabled people in the country have proven their talent in various fields, people’s attitudes toward them persist.
There are numerous examples around the world that demonstrate that, with the right guidance, a disability can become a virtue and amaze everyone. India has numerous government schemes to help the disabled. However, even after so many years, only half of the disabled have received a disability certificate. Consequently, accessing government benefits for the disabled has become a mere joke. There have been many disabled people in the world who, through their courage, determination, and enthusiasm, have etched their names in golden letters in world history. The powerful ruler Timur Lang was handicapped in one hand and one leg. Rana Sanga of Mewar, despite losing an eye in childhood and suffering 80 wounds in battle, emerged victorious in numerous battles. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who founded the Sikh kingdom, had a deficient eye in one eye since childhood. Renowned dancer Sudha Chandran was missing her right leg. Film lyricist Krishna Chandra Dey and musician Ravindra Jain were blind. Former cricketer Anjan Bhattacharya was deaf and mute. Disabled athletes Sandeep Kumar from Jhunjhunu district and Sundar Gurjar from Jaipur brought glory to India by winning gold medals in the javelin throw at the World Paralympia Championships.
The first phase of the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) was conducted in 2019-20. The NFHS provides estimates on key indicators related to population, family planning, child and maternal health, nutrition, adult health, and domestic violence. According to an analysis by an Indian Council of Medical Research publication of secondary data collected from the NFHS-5 survey, the total prevalence of persons with disabilities in India is 4.52 percent of the population. India is a party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This data shows that approximately 63.28 million people in India live with some form of disability. Locomotor (movement) disability is the most common of all disabilities, followed by mental and speech (speech related) disabilities.
It is a harsh reality that people with disabilities in India still depend on others for their needs. According to the World Health Organization, 15 percent of the global population lives with some form of disability. More than 80 percent of these people live in low- and middle-income countries. India, with over 1.4 billion people, has over 2.2 percent of this population suffering from some form of severe mental or physical disability. In today’s progressive era, where integration and inclusion of all people are emphasized as the gateway to sustainable development, the list of criteria for classifying people with disabilities in India was revised in 2016. The revised definition, based on the 2016 RPwD Act, also recognizes physical deformities and injuries related to acid attacks as disabilities, entitling these victims to various forms of government assistance and support.
Even today, obtaining a disability certificate in India remains challenging. Even after days of running around government offices and hospitals, people often face disappointment. While the government claims to have simplified the process, the reality seems far from it. According to the government’s established criteria for issuing disability certificates, doctors in most government hospitals refuse to issue disability certificates to individuals with disabilities, leaving individuals with disabilities vulnerable to government benefits.
The benefits provided to the disabled in India remain limited to paperwork. Compared to other countries, our disabled population is not receiving even a quarter of the benefits they receive. The central government has taken a positive step by granting a 10-year age relaxation to disabled youth across the country, including those with visual impairments, deafness, loco-motor disabilities, or cerebral palsy, for direct recruitment into central government services. Disability can be physical or mental, but the biggest disability lies in our society’s mindset, which holds a disdain for those with disabilities, making them feel uncomfortable.
Now is the time to change our mindset towards people with disabilities. Disabled people can only be included in mainstream society when society recognizes them as part of its own. A comprehensive awareness campaign is needed for this. In recent years, the government’s efforts towards the disabled have accelerated. Efforts are being made to provide them with some basic amenities. However, questions have been raised about the government’s implementation of schemes. Recently, the Supreme Court even reprimanded the government for the slow pace of implementation. Connecting disabled people to education is crucial. There is a lack of special schools for the deaf and dumb, which prevents most disabled people from becoming properly educated and financially independent.
(The author is a freelance journalist accredited to the Rajasthan government)
