perfectly put Sandesh Sir, these days, there is a tendency to use such things for gaining quick lymelight. Those who said objectionable things will never bother about such trashy responses, and those who bother will not make such insensitive remarks in the first place.
On Sun, Jul 28, 2024 at 9:41 PM Sandesh <[email protected]> wrote: > Using English with (some trying to be smart kind of words) does change the > reality? > Why not a single word uttered about existence of fake certification and > measures to curtail it? What such so-called advocates and lovers of > disability rights do about stopping such malpractices? Why no condemnation > is expressed about misuse of facilities by disabled people in parts of > country often seen in newspapers? Why wrong things done in name of > disability are not discouraged by such creatures? > Such online sorts of petitions are nothing but way of getting into > highlight and shunning away from duties. No need to say anything about > their capacity of shouting and screaming loudly from bottom of throats > selectively. > What Gov. officers said is not at all supported here, but such responses > in terms of heavy words (beyond understanding of common public) are nothing > but sheer dramabazi and propaganda. Those who genuinely feeling for the > community will never call this as unified response. In fact, such practices > without ground touch and endorsements in name of disability sector made > without proper homework should be condemned with strongest sense. > > Regards > > Vande Mataram > > Sandesh > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* Vaishnavi Jayakumar <[email protected]> > *To:* WE the PwD Egroup <[email protected]> ; in-tn > <[email protected]> ; disability-studies-india > <[email protected]> ; AccessIndia.org.in > <[email protected]> ; OG CRPD FORUM IDA > <[email protected]> ; [email protected] ; Egroup DRA > <[email protected]> ; > [email protected] ; GG MHA Reform > <[email protected]> ; [email protected] > *Sent:* Friday, July 26, 2024 2:14 PM > *Subject:* [AI] ENDORSE JOINT RESPONSE TO ‘Fake certification’ And Calls > for Review of Reservation Policy > > Thanks to Amar Pawar for kickstarting this unified response from the > disability sector and its allies, to recent atrocious ableism exhibited in > public by government representatives. > > To endorse our unified response, please fill the form at > http://bit.ly/endorse-joint-response > > The online version <https://bit.ly/joint-response-to-IAS-ableism> of the > document with updated endorsements can also be viewed as machine readable > (and translateable) text at > https://bit.ly/joint-response-to-IAS-ableism-html > > Do share this email widely so our protest can be registered. > --- > > [image: Logo of We the People (with disabilities) of India - where yellow > and blue quote marks with disability symbols intersect to form green common > area.] > > July 25, 2024 > > JOINT RESPONSE TO > > ‘Fake certification’ And Calls for Review of Reservation Policy > > In the past week, senior bureaucrats - Mr. Amitabh Kant (G20 Sherpa) and > Ms Smita Sabharwal, Member Secretary, Finance Commission, Telangana (IAS > Telangana Cadre) - have brazenly expressed in public > <https://web.archive.org/web/20240726062052/https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/g20-sherpa-amitabh-kant-smita-sabharwal-upsc-disability-quota-1.9748191> > their prejudicial, stereotyping and stigmatizing opinion about reservations > in jobs for persons with disabilities (PwDs). Reservation for transgender > persons has also been targeted for ‘review.’ > > We, the undersigned, condemn their prejudicial perspective in the > strongest possible terms, as being violative of the principles of human > dignity of PWDs guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution and upheld > by the Supreme Court in the Jeeja Ghosh judgement > <https://www.livelaw.in/pdf_upload/jeeja-ghosh-v-union-of-india-405231.pdf> > . > > We collectively affirm that the statements given by both senior > bureaucrats not only strengthen the attitudinal barriers faced by the > disabled community but in the process also delegitimize affirmative > policies, which are already inadequate and inconsistently implemented. > > It goes without saying that statements by officers having millions of > followers online and off, are likely to prejudice the perspective of > non-disabled individuals and influential stakeholders. These coloured > perspectives are also an onslaught on the principles of disability justice, > equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodations, ensured after multiple > forms of struggle by generations of disabled Indians. > > The Central Civil Service (Conduct) Rules 1964 > <https://dopt.gov.in/sites/default/files/CCS_Conduct_Rules_1964_Updated_27Feb15_0.pdf>, > which regulates the All-India Services, under Rule 3, Sub-rule (1), make it > binding on a civil servant or government functionary to strictly abide by > the code of ethics by inculcating the virtues of integrity, impartiality > and non-discrimination. Provisions under sub-rule (1) of Rule 3 demand > accountability from the officers to refrain from doing anything that is > contrary to any law, rule, regulation and established practices. > Furthermore, under Rule 9, sub rule (1), civil servants are prevented from > making via public utterance, “any statement of fact or opinion - > > (i) which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent > policy or action of the Central Government or a State Government”. > > The statements made by these senior serving bureaucrats, therefore, are a > clear violation of the above provisions – in fact the Government’s > reservation policy for disabled Indians dates back to 1977, even before OBC > reservation. > > We, the undersigned, believe there are proven cases of fake certification > of disability and its usage to claim disability reservations. However, we > also caution that the zeal to crack down on ‘fake certification’ should not > lead to delegitimizing of the fair claims of disabled individuals. > > Instead, the loopholes in the process of disability certification should > be plugged on a continuous and consistent basis, mindful of the global vow > of ‘Nothing About Us, Without Us’. Those indulging in corrupt practices, > should be proceeded against promptly, firmly and transparently. However, > care should be taken not to unduly harass people with legitimate claims. > > The unwillingness of Kant and Sabharwal to back down from their > contentious and provocative viewpoints despite public condemnation, makes a > case for mandatory diversity and implicit bias training to ensure a > ‘culture of civil rights, diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, > transparency and accountability’. The urgent implementation of the Guidelines > for Awareness Generation and Publicity and in-Service Training of key > Functionaries of Central, State governments and Local Bodies and other > Service Providers > <https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3e58aea67b01fa747687f038dfde066f6/uploads/2023/11/20240131691811532.pdf> > effective from 19th January 2024, is also sought to restore the > confidence of disabled citizens that the hitherto insidious ableism of > Government servants that has come to light, will be addressed so as to > equip ‘enlightened, efficient and committed key functionaries to further > the cause of empowerment of Persons with Disabilities’. > > The suggestions of Mr Kant and Ms Sabharwal to review or exclude Union of > India’s horizontal reservation (which serves as a remedy to address often > masked ‘deep-rooted social prejudice’) are irresponsible and ‘grounded in > exclusion’. > > We as a society must reflect on Justice DY Chandrachud’s observations in > the 2019 Supreme Court B.K. Pavitra judgement > <https://indconlawphil.wordpress.com/2020/12/22/horizontal-reservations-and-the-persistence-of-the-myth-of-merit/> > : > > “Efficiency of administration in the affairs of the Union or of a State > must be defined in an inclusive sense, where diverse segments of society > find representation as a true aspiration of governance by and for the > people. > … > Our benchmarks will define our outcomes. If this benchmark of efficiency > is grounded in exclusion, it will produce a pattern of governance which is > skewed against the marginalised. If this benchmark of efficiency is > grounded in equal access, our outcomes will reflect the commitment of the > Constitution to produce a just social order.” > > The significance of the representation and involvement of people with > disability in decision making roles needs to be underlined to achieve > genuine equality of opportunity of a class that continues to experience > existing structural and institutional disadvantage without further > exacerbation by thoughtless, poorly researched public commentary by > prominent personalities. > > The recent societal and institutionalised weaponising of terms like > capability, fitness, capacity, sound mind, stability as antonyms of > disability is a dangerously dehumanising trend and a threat to the disabled > Indian’s autonomy. Invalidating participation whether to fly, educate > oneself, adopt, be employed, consent or make decisions flies in the face of > the required default assumption of competence of the disabled individual > who declares themselves equal to a task. > > To borrow from Ruth Bader Ginsberg on historically similar discrimination > against women, disability is a naturally inevitable characteristic that > ‘has been made the basis for unjustified or at least unproved assumptions, > concerning an individual’s potential to perform or to contribute to > society’. > > Scores of disabled Indian pioneers who precede us have taught us > boundaries are meant to be pushed for individuals to achieve or > accomplish in diverse ways and to succeed in being or doing. Those who > choose not to support us should get out of the way of those of us doing the > ‘impossible’. > ------------------------------ > > -- > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of > the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "AccessIndia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAN7%2BzvqqVkhNzHoQhxH7os_Hmv_MTeB8nzCsfwPcUx8hatpB9Q%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAN7%2BzvqqVkhNzHoQhxH7os_Hmv_MTeB8nzCsfwPcUx8hatpB9Q%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of > the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "AccessIndia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/005a01dae108%24ba899e20%240501a8c0%40INBOOKX3Slim > <https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/005a01dae108%24ba899e20%240501a8c0%40INBOOKX3Slim?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- Avichal Bhatnagar Assistant professor at Department of English, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College University of Delhi Doctoral research scholar at Department of humanities Delhi Technological University (formerly Delhi college of engineering) -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CADsKw8rO-qVf-EPt5dobqH6dNSW_O_p7gqwFL30T7QX2SPaKCA%40mail.gmail.com.
