Just confirms our opinion of Madam Sinha On Thu, Nov 1, 2018 at 1:16 PM Goanet Reader <goanetrea...@gmail.com> wrote:
> An open letter to Goa Governor, Mridula Sinha > > My Take by Monika Kshatriya > > My Take this week is by Monika > Kshatriya, a disability rights > activist and freelance > journalist based in Goa. Monika > has over 17 years' experience > in TV news and has an abiding > interest in issues concerning > persons with disabilities, > environment and gender > non-conformists and continues > reporting on these issues. > > Dear Ms. Governor, > > On Saturday, at a celebratory event in Porvorim, you managed > to turn a victorious mood to a bitter and anguished one. With > just one line, you displayed not just your utter lack of > understanding of diversity, but you also managed to trample > upon the very Constitution that you swore to uphold while > taking an oath to office. > > You were invited as the chief guest at the prize distribution > ceremony of the T20 Series between India, Sri Lanka and > England. This sporting event was organised by the Goa Cricket > Association and the Cricket Association for the Blind in India. > > The mood was jubilant because the hosts, Team India, managed > to claim the cup. This was a moment to celebrate the special > abilities of the players, the grit and determination of a > team that fought against all kinds of physical and mental > barriers to reaching this far. What everyone expected or hoped > to hear from you were words of praise for these path > breakers, who are an inspiration to many sportspersons in > this cricket-obsessed nation of ours. > > Instead, you chose to heap a huge dollop of humiliation > served with a garnish of insult and served with deep > insensitivity. You said "Blind people are a mistake committed > by God and it is a miracle such people can play cricket". > > Ms Governor, today you hold the exalted office of the > governor. You are sworn to uphold the law. We address you as > "Her Excellency", not because you were born in a certain > family, religion or caste, but because you are appointed by > the President himself to the high office to ensure that the > Constitution is adhered to. > > Let me enlighten you about what the Constitution says in this > regard. > > Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, > 2016 the government is required to inter alia, > ensure/protect a disabled person’s right to > equality, dignity and respect for his/her integrity > equally with others; right to personal liberty, > right not to be discriminated against; right to > live in a community, and right to equal protection. > Clearly in complete disregard of this Act, you have > attempted to strip persons with disabilities of the > dignity they deserve. > > Cricket for the Blind is a specialised sport. It requires a > special skill to play it and clearly not everyone can. I > assure you that even a blind-folded Sachin Tendulkar or Virat > Kohli will not be able to clear the qualification round for > the district team. Clearly, you failed to see the abilities > of these sports persons. All you could focus on was their > disability. > > Also, it didn't take a "miracle" for these sportsmen to > perform, but sheer sweat and hard work in perfecting their > game. A person with visual impairment has to cross a million > hurdles to get to a sports field. After years of struggle one > reaches the international level and plays a game. And then to > be told that you are god’s mistake - is demeaning to say the least. > > Ms. Governor, may I also jog your memory. This is > not the first time a right wing politician has > repeated this idea. Can you please enlighten me > about which text of the Sanatan dharma propounds > this idea of God's mistake? So you might argue on > the "Karma” theory, that persons with Disability, > whom the Prime Minster has lovingly termed "Diyang" > (one with divine limbs), are a result of mistakes > made in their last birth. Well, then you must admit > that one the most revered poets of the Bhakti > movement, Surdas, was a huge mistake. > > Finally, please don't put this down to a mistake of the > Almighty, but to your inability to understand diversity and > the law. Your inability to understand that each of us, > irrespective of our physical features, is a perfect creation. > > > https://newzhook.com/story/20256?fbclid=IwAR2ENo_zyKr1RTVjANxipfj8dwPl06HZpY92kVikdAs54RocJMUeL7lqSx8 >