Complaints have reportedly been made by some people with disabilities (PWDs) that MLAs have treated them poorly.
President of the Khasi Disability Association (KDA), Starwin Kharjana, today informed that he has received complaints that some MLAs from East Khasi Hills have behaved rudely towards PWDs when they went to meet the elected representatives.
“The MLAs told the PWDs who are visually impaired that they cannot help a person who can see, so how can they help the blind,” Kharjana told reporters.
Lamenting that such insensitive words and behaviour are uncalled for, he said that if the MLAs do not want to help the PWDs, then can just tell them politely.
“Most of us during these months need income certificates to apply for unemployment allowances but if such is the behaviour of some MLAs who look down on us, then we regret that we have elected such MLAs,” he said adding that they have decided to convene a meeting of all disabled before the 2023 Assembly election where all the problems faced by PWDs with their MLAs will be exposed in public.
“As per the 2011 census there are over 44,000 persons with disabilities in the state and 50 percent of them are adults who are eligible to vote and we will make our vote count in the 2023 election,” he added.
He further urged the MLAs who want to take up matters in the Assembly relating to the rights and welfare of the disabled to see that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 is implemented in letter and spirit in Meghalaya.
“We have been demanding the enhancement of the unemployment allowance to Rs 3000 since 2015,” Kharjana stated but, instead, the government has now asked PWDs to choose between two schemes, one that provides Rs 500 a month in assistance for school children and the Rs 1,000 in unemployment allowance.
Meanwhile, concerning the announcement made by the East Khasi Hills Taxi owners and driver association that they will not charge taxi fares to the person with disabilities, Kharjana said that the taxi drivers can always identify the persons with disability through the unique disability identification card that is issued along with the disability certificate because some disabilities, such as hearing impairments are not visible.
