To make a matter-of-fact statement, today, the blind are objects of pity or charity at best in India, to be limelighted in media as an ad for celebrity and not at all equal citizens. I have personally witnessed fanatic spiritualists writing some damn-fool spiritual/religious japs [chants] and attempting to get it converted into braille successfully and getting applause from dignitaries like kalam and pritibha patil, and championing their work in the meets of the blind presumably for solace of the blind.
I often wonder whether any celibrity even refers to disabled in his/her speech. By the way, what happened to much publicized and appreciated software which our beloved president, I mean former president, had taken pains to develop in response to pleas of some of our group members for a cheaper screen reader? I forget the nane of software which was supposed to make websites accessible or so and was developed in record time or so, has anybody run it successfully? -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Subramani L Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 11:18 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] A treat for visually challenged children Since you say this --I remember a famous play back singer in South India who goes to Chennai's Little Flower Blind School every year on his birthday. While that sounds like a nice thing, Celebs like him have also declined to campaign for the rights of the visually challenged or convince top officials in getting jobs or decent hostel accommodation for the folks coming from rural areas (for job or academic reasons) to the city, though they do wield influence in the higher circles of govt. Many a times the celebs turn up for hog-the-lime-light events but when it comes to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the blind to fight for them, you often hear them say one word: "busy". Subramani -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sudhir R (NeSTIT) Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 10:52 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] A treat for visually challenged children You are right there, Vetri. But, why just blame the political class ? Physically challenged, especially the visually challenged, are the favourite "hug and kiss" targets for celebrities too, who find it create excellent photo ops. Unfortunately, our so-called NGOs and media walk straight into their ensnaring web and waste their time and column centimetres with such hyped up reaching out gestures. Sickening. RS -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Vetrivel Adhimoolam Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 10:41 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] A treat for visually challenged children Ya. But the problem with these top officials is that they will not contribute to our genuine development. As long as we remain as their advertising tools, there will be more of such events. But when we begin to assert our voices, then we become the unwanted citizens of this country. That's the attitude of present politicians towards physically challenged in general and visually challenged in particular. Vetri. ----- Original Message ----- From: renuka warriar To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 11:59 PM Subject: [AI] A treat for visually challenged children Date:12/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/12/stories/2007121262231700.htm National A treat for visually challenged children Antara Das - Photo: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH Affectionate touch: West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi shows visually handicapped children around in the Raj Bhavan gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday. Kolkata: As the evening chill set in on Tuesday on the sprawling gardens of the Raj Bhavan here, another world seemed suddenly possible, at least for the visually challenged children who had gathered there to soak in the fragrance of the various flowers blooming on the lawns. Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had invited the visually handicapped and street children, belonging to the Voice of World and Future Hope organisations, to experience and appreciate the fragrance of the flowers, especially that of Cestrum Nocturnum, commonly known as 'Raat ki rani' or 'Hasnuhana' that casts its enchanting smell in the evening when it blooms. Mr. Gandhi showed the children around, describing in detail how the flowers looked. To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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.i n To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. 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