Specially-abled protest Railways' decision, observe hunger strike in Chennai
Thaindian News
Chennai, May 5 (ANI): Specially-abled persons in Tamil Nadu staged a
demonstration on Wednesday to protest the decision of Indian Railways making
the disabled-friendly coaches open for general public.
Members of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Handicapped Association went on a
hunger strike to protest the move here, demanding that disabled-friendly
coaches should be made open for their exclusive use again.
"The Railway Department has converted the reservation coaches (reserved for
specially-abled persons) into unreserved coaches (open to general public),
which is very unfortunate. This move of the Railway Department is
condemnable and we need to see that the railway should retract this, and
till then we are not going to give up this fight and we will move forward,
and make the whole Railway Department stand still," said Govindakrishnan,
member of Federation Of Tamil Nadu Handicapped Association.
Protestors said they are facing problems after the coaches have been made
open to everyone.
They rued that they have been protesting for nine months but their
representations have not been heeded.
"The specially-disabled coaches with disabled people have suddenly been made
into a reservation compartment (where anyone can reserve seats) and we don't
want that to be a reservation compartment. We want that as an unreserved
compartment for the disabled people, and for this we have been fighting for
a very long time, say, for about nine months. We have made several
representations and everything has gone into vain. So, till that retraction
of the decision comes across we are not going to withdraw our hunger strike.
We are going to continue for that," said Deepak, a member of Federation Of
Tamil Nadu Handicapped Association. (ANI)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pamnani" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2010 5:45 PM
Subject: [AI] On going hunger strike in Tamil Nadu
I am copying below a series of sms received from Rajiv Rajan an activist
from Tamil Nadu. I feel we should support his work in whatever way we can.
Kanchan
04/05/2010
Hi,THE TAMIL NADU HANDICAPED CHARITABLE TRUST A MEMBER OF DISABILITY
RIGHTS ALLIANCE TAMIL NADU IS LEADING AN INDEFINIT HUNGER STRIKE IN
CHENNAI FROM TOMORROW. THE 1st & FOREMOST DEMAND BEING REVOKING OF THE
ORDER BY THE INDIAN RAILWAYS MAKING THE DISABILITY COACH A RESERVED ONE .
THE OTHER IMPORTANT DEMANDS BEING RESERVING THE 1st & 2nd SEAT/BERTH IN
EVERY COACH FOR DISABLED PASSENGERS, MAKING ALL THE COACHES ACCESSIBLE. A
LIST OF 7 DEMANDS IS BEING PUT FORWARD TO THE INDIAN RAILWAYS. MISS
KANIMOZHI A MEMBER OF RAJYA SABHA &DAUGHTER OF CHEIF MINISTER OF TAMIL
NADU IS WORKING IN DELHI FOR THE SAME.PLEASE SUPPORT THE DRA TAMIL NADU TO
ENSURE THAT THE RIGHTS OF DISABLED PASSENGERSARE NOT DENYED BY ORGANISING
SIMILAR HUNGER STRIKES IN YOUR STATE/UTs IN THE COMING DAYS & OR BY
WRITING TO THE RAILWAY MINISTER URGING HER NOT TO DENY RIGHTS OF DISABLED
PASSENGERS.
05-05-2010
WE THE DRA TAMIL NADU SEEK YOUR URGENT SUPPORT FOR HUNGER STRIKE . WE
REQUEST YOU TO URGENTLY SEND TELEGRAMS TO THE PMO & RAILWAY MINISTER IN
SUPPORT OF THE DEMANDS. URGING THEM TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO SOLVE THE
ISSUE . THE 1st & FOREMOST DEMAND BEING REVOKING OF THE ORDER BY THE
INDIAN RAILWAYS MAKING THE DISABILITY COACH A RESERVED ONE . THE OTHER
IMPORTANT DEMANDS BEING RESERVING THE 1st & 2nd SEAT / BERTH IN EVERY
COACH FOR DISABLED PASSENGERS , MAKING ALL THE COACHES ACCESSIBLE . A LIST
OF 7 DEMANDS IS BEING PUT FORWARD TO THE INDIAN RAILWAYS. THANKING YOU IN
ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT .
05-05-2010
HI THIS IS TO REMIND YOU ABOUT THE HUNGER STRIKE LEAD BY TAMIL NADU
HANDICAPED FEDERATION CHARITABLE TRUST A MEMBER OF DRA TAMIL NADU IN
PROTEST AGAINST THE ATTITUDE OF RAILWAYS TOWARDS DISABLED PEOPLE . DRA
LOOKS FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CAUSE.
05-05-2010
I FEEL THE SITUATION HERE IS SENSITIVE ANY TIME STRIKERS MAY BE ARRESTED .
IN SUCH A CASE WE SURELY HAVE TO COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT. I WILL MESSAGE YOU
.
06-05-2010
150 PEOPLE ON HUNGER STRIKE FOR 22 HOURS. DON'T THE RAILWAYS HAVE HUMANE
FEELING? SUPPORT NEEDED IN WHATEVER WAY POSSIBLE TO WAKE UP MAMATHA FROM
HER PRETENDED SLEEP. PLEASE SUPPORT
06-05-2010
GENERAL SECRETORY OF TAMIL NADU HANDICAPED FEDERATION CHARITABLE TRUST & A
FEW OTHERS HAVE FAINTED DUE TO 26 HOURS OLD STILL ON GOING HUNGER STRIKE
BY DISABLED PEOPLE IN CHENNAI.
06-05-2010
PMK LEADER G.K MANI CAME TO THE PROTEST &PROMISED THAT AN ATTENTION
SEEKING MOTION WOULD BE BROUGHT IN THE STATE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
TOMORROW. HE SPOKE TO THE SECRETORY TO CM WHO TOLD HIM THAT LETTER IS ON
CM'S TABLE AWAITING FOR HIS SIGNATURE IT COULD BE SEND TO THE PRESS
TONIGHT OR TOMORROW MORNING BUT WE ARE STILL CONTINUING THE PROTEST AS
NOTHING LESS THAN A LETTER OR PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CM OR THE RAILWAYS IS
ACCEPTABLE TO US.
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