News

Volume 2 Issue 8 - April 15, 2004

Protestors demand their democratic rights

DNIS News Network -- Disabled Rights Group signalled its dismay at the authorities' "lackadaisical approach" by planning a protest in front of the Chief Election Commissioner's office at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi.

Following a lengthy campaign to persuade the Electoral Commission to take into account the needs of disabled voters, non-political advocacy NGO, Disabled Rights Group, signalled its dismay at the authorities' "lackadaisical approach" by planning a protest in front of the Chief Election Commissioner's office at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi.

The group sent a list of five simple demands to the CEC (see news story 'Poor access to polling stations is a bar to democracy' in this issue) but has failed to receive a satisfactory response. In an attempt to confront this apathy the decision was taken to hold a gherao but on the day heavy police presence prevented the planned action being taken.

Hundreds of disabled people and activists attempted to convene in front of the CEC office to voice their frustrations at being denied their democratic rights. However, police had imposed a prohibitory order around the offices and one demonstrator described how they were "bundled into police vans and sent to Jantar Mantar".

DRG Convener Javed Abidi told reporters: "We wanted the CEC to listen to the voice of more than 45 million disabled people but he is making excuses and refuses to meet us."