Dear Murali, Thanks for bringing this issue on a public forum as AI. There has been an effort from certain quarters to sideline the competent blind people from higher positions. Ministry of Social Justice, Govt. of India did not allow similar efforts to affect their decision during the selection of Mr. Pincha - a person with blindness as Chief Commissioner- Disabilities and we all see how effective he is in resotoring and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities.
I am sure even this time such efforts will not succeed and we may see Mr. Mittal as the next Chairman of the RCI as per the recommendations of the selection committee appointed by ACC. If that doesn't happen by any chance, then it would be loud and clear that ACC's decision was influenced by certain hidden considerations/vested interests. I hope you are also aware that the post in question has been kept as "Honorary" for no valid reasons. The government expects the Chairperson - RCI to fulfill such an important role but wants to pay nothing while his counter parts such as Chairperson National Trust or the Chief Commissioner- Disabilities are paid as per their ranks. Why this injustice and step brotherly treatment with the Chairperson Rehabilitation Council of India? Now we understand, why the Govt. has been unable to find a susbstitute for our beloved Maj. Gen Ian Cardozo (Retd) who continues to hold the post for past 8 years without getting any penny for the selfless service. This is high time that the issue of full salaries to the Chairperson of RCI be also addressed by the Government. Why should such an important post that affect the rehabilitation of over 70 million persons with disabilities in India be "Honorary"? I fully support the timely PIL by Mr Rugta and am sure will put a check on such influences that might be trying to sway the ACC in their favour against the merit considerations. Best, Subhash Chandra Vashishth Advocate Mobile: +91 (11) 9811125521 Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. Consider environment! On 2 May 2013 14:10, National Platform For The Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) <[email protected]> wrote: > *National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled* > > *4, Ashoka Road, New Delhi* > > *Tel. 9868768543; email: [email protected]* > > > May 2, 2013 > > > *Press Statement* > > * * > > The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled is dismayed at the > inordinate delay in the filling up of the vacancy of the Chairman of the > Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). > > The RCI, a statutory body, was established consequent to the passage of the > RCI Act in 1992. The RCI is mandated to regulate the training policies and > programmes in the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities; to > bring about standardization of training courses for professionals dealing > with persons with disabilities; to prescribe minimum standards of education > and training of various categories of professionals/personnel dealing with > people with disabilities etc. > > The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) had constituted a Selection > Committee for the Chairman of the RCI and a recommendation was made in June > 2012. As per the recommendation of the Committee Dr. Sudesh Mukhopadhyay, > Mr. Ajay Kumar Mittal and Dr. Manoj Kumar were ranked 1, 2 & 3 > respectively. However, since Dr. Sudesh Mukhopadhyay is not eligible > because of her being over age, the person ranked no. 2, Mr. Ajay Kumar > Mittal, who is a blind person, should automatically have been considered > for the post. > > As the government was delaying the appointment, the National Federation of > the Blind through its General Secretary and Senior advocate, S K Rungta, > filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court. Mr. Rungta contended that the > department is trying to bypass the committee’s recommendation. He > apprehended that the person ranked No. 3, may be appointed. > > The Delhi High Court bench headed by Chief Justice V.K. Jain in its order > of April 3, 2013 directed the Department of Disability Affairs to forward > the recommendation of the Select Committee to the ACC within three weeks > and observed that the “selection will be normally based on the > recommendation of the Selection Committee”. > > There are genuine apprehensions that efforts are afoot to mislead the ACC > against the selection of Mr. Ajay Kumar Mittal. Any attempt at doing so > will amount to denial of Mr. Mittal’s rights, denial of equal opportunities > for persons with disabilities and against established conventions. It will > also be a violation of the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with > Disabilities and the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. > > > > *(Muralidharan)* > *Assistant Convener* > > -- Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ 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.in
