Good job Sir, keep it up, it isgood way of making awareness and sensitive language. thanks On 1/28/16, National Platform For The Rights of the Disabled <nprd...@gmail.com> wrote: > *January 28, 2016* > > > > > > *Smt Maneka Gandhi* > > *Minister for Women & Child Development* > > *New Delhi* > > > > *Dear Maneka ji, * > > > > We are pained to read a statement purported to have been made by you with > regard to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 (RPD Bill). > You have been quoted as saying that “*It (Bill) does not differentiate > between mentally ill and mentally disabled person. But there is a > difference between the two. If a person is mentally ill like schizophrenic, > how can he be given a job*". > > > > It needs to be emphasised that disability is a heterogeneous issue and each > and every category of impairment has its own limitations. > > > > It is a fact that persons with impairments may not be able to perform all > kinds of jobs. But this is as true with persons who have no > impairment/disability. Therefore it is fallacious to conclude that it is > only persons with mental illness who are incapable of being employed. > > > > It would be pertinent to point out that persons with mental illnesses, > including those with schizophrenia, have the right to work under current > Indian law. In a 2010 judgment, the Bombay High Court upheld the right to > be employed, of a man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and who was > forced to resign from his job at the Shipping Corporation of India, because > the employer refused to transfer him to a shore-based position (Edward > D’Cunah v Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities). The High Court held > in this case, that under Section 47 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, > 1995, the Shipping Corporation had a statutory duty to accommodate an > employee diagnosed with schizophrenia, by transfering him to another > suitable position. The High Court ended with the following words by Tagore: > “The problem is not how to wipe out the differences but how to unite with > the difference intact”. This judgment was affirmed by the Supreme Court of > India in October 2013. > > > > Needless to add that having ratified the United Nations Convention on the > Rights of Persons with Disabilities, India has the obligation to protect > the right to work of all persons with disabilities, including those with > mental illnesses. Every jurisdiction which has an evolved framework of > anti-discrimination laws for persons with disabilities – such as the > Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990; the Australian Disability > Discrimination Act, 1992 or the Equality Act, 2010 of the United Kingdom – > contains the same rights and protections for all persons with disabilities, > including those with mental illnesses. > > > > There are any number of examples that can be given of persons with > schizophrenia, performing well in high level jobs. John Nash, the famous > mathematician and recipient of the Noble Prize is one such example. In > India too there are a number of successful people who have different types > of mental health issues. While some have come out and talked about their > disabilities, most of them try to conceal it, given the stigma attached to > the issue. > > > > We feel your statement will make such persons more vulnerable. They may > feel a threat to their jobs and livelihood. Many may even refrain from > seeking medical and social assistance. In our opinion this is a damaging > and sweeping statement that has been attributed to you. > > > > We request you to have meetings with organisations/persons working with > those having psychosocial disabilities so that you can have a clearer > picture. > > > > > > Yours truly > > > > > > > > > > *(Muralidharan)* > > *Secretary* > > *National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD)* > > > > > > > > *Copy: Shri **Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice & > Empowerment* > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. >
-- Pankaj Singh Kushwaha, Ph.D.: Research Scholar, Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies "SIS", Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Dehli 110067. Mobile no: +919868610216. Email: justicewith...@gmail.com or pankaj.jn...@gmail.com institutional E_mail: pankaj44_...@jnu.ac.in Convener: JNU Visually Challenge Forum 2015-2016 Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
