Pratibandhi Suraksha Sangstha, Assam decries manifestos being silent on their plight

* BJP makes mention of filling up backlog posts for Divyangs

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Pratibandhi Suraksha Sangstha, Assam (PSSA) has expressed shock at regional political parties, including the Congress, not mentioning the Divyangs in their respective election manifestos, let alone solving their problems.

Addressing the media here on Tuesday, PSSA secretary Nripen Malakar said, "This speaks volumes of the good will of the parties towards people with disabilities (PwDs). It is unfortunate that the political parties don't feel like mentioning the problems afflicting around nine lakh Divyang voters in the State.

"The BJP, on the other hand, made it clear that if the party comes to power, it will fill up the backlog posts for Divyangs within a year. The BJP-led government in the State did give us a written assurance to fill up 4,419 backlog posts meant for Divyangs in 2017. In 2018, the government published an advertisement for the filling up of 863 of those posts. However, the recruitment process has not been completed even today. Thus, it has been amply clear that the BJP is trying to fool the Divyangs with the false promise of filling up our backlog posts.

"The election manifesto of the BJP is silent on our other demands like hike in the monthly pension of Divyangs, construction of a rest house for Divyangns, a separate Directorate for Divyangs, residential houses for Divyangs etc.

"A promise made in the BJP's election manifesto that the party, if voted to power, will build ramps in all government offices for easy access to Divyangs. It has proved it in no uncertain terms that the State government hasn't implemented the Accessible India Campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 has not been implemented in the State in the past five years."

On the hearing of the case relating to the construction of a toilet in Arya Vidyapeeth HS School, Guwahati making it accessible for persons with disabilities, Malakar said, "The State Commissioner for Persons with Dislabilities (PwDS), which has the powers of a Civil Court, summoned the Chairman, Topcem Cement; the president of Rotary Club of Guwahati and the Principal of Arya Vidyapeeth HS School in connection with the accessibility of persons with disabilities in a toilet constructed in Arya Vidyapeeth HS School. However, no representative from Rotary Club of Guwahati was present in today's hearing. The Commissioner Court has directed the Principal of Arya Vidyapeeth HS School not to issue UGC certificate to the construction company till the case is disposed of."

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