FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "National Platform For The Rights of the Disabled" <[email protected]> Date: 11 Feb 2016 15:12 Subject: Letter to GoM -- RPD Bill To: Cc:
*National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled* *National Federation of the Blind* February 10, 2016 *Shri Rajnath Singh* *Shri Thaawar Chand Geholt* *Smt. Maneka Gandhi* *Shri Ramvilas Paswan* *Shri Jual Oram* *Dear Members of the GoM,* We express our serious disquiet at reports that various provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 are proposed to be diluted by the Group of Ministers constituted to look into it. Though in a meeting with the undersigned representatives, the Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Thaawar Chand Geholt had affirmed that no decision has been taken in this regard, we would still like to share our concerns. These pertain to the suggestion for removal of certain disabilities from the ambit of the Bill, the deletion of the provision of Disability Commission as also certain issues relating to persons with psychosocial disabilities. As you are aware, the process of drafting this Bill was initiated after India signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The current Bill is the product of a long and arduous process of consultations at various levels. When the Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha we had opposed its passage and demanded that it be sent to the department related Parliamentary Standing Committee, owing to some issues with certain provisions. Here, we are not going into the concerns that we had expressed about the Bill at that point of time. Some of the issues that we had flagged were addressed by the Standing Committee and are contained in its recommendations. However, we are surprised that instead of introducing official amendments and placing the Bill for debate and adoption in the Rajya Sabha, the government referred it to a Group of Ministers. This is unusual after the Standing Committee has scrutinized the Bill and made its recommendations. Reports emanating from some sources say that a proposal for the removal of various disabilities from the ambit of the Bill have been mooted in the GoM meeting. We would like to record our opposition to any such move. Conditions like muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, hemophilia lead to impairment and disability and hence need to retained in the Bill. This is very much in tune with the UNCRPD definition and are conditions recognized as disabilities in various countries. India In the light of the above, we would request the Group of Ministers to not make any recommendation that would dilute the provisions of the current Bill either by removing certain disabilities or denying reservation in employment for persons with psychosocial disabilities and other issues concerning them. Instead, it should recommend strengthening the Bill incorporating the salient recommendations made by the Standing Committee. Yours truly *(S K Rungta)* *(Muralidharan)* *General Secretary * *Secretary* *National Federation of the Blind* *National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled* *Tel. 9312607540* *Tel. 9868768543* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/MhaNewsViewsIndia/CAN7%2BzvrKwJ-X1w2g5oKEGLWsk8h6AJ_CO6yvYj%2BuMMNOJ3Op4g%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
