i really hope they at least get enough media coverage soon. otherwise finding an exit from the fast is the most difficult thing. fasting is a good strategy but its gonna cost them a great deal especially if the police r already being so nasty. this is a big picture protest. not some immediate small-time demands. such situations aren't gonna be resolved any time soon. can any organizations on the list help or do anything in this matter?? advocates etc, would any1 at all be in a position to represent these guys at any level?? i urge any such organizations to please come together and perhaps innitiate some formal or legal pettition or something that might help hasten the responses of concerned authority. thank u.
On 9/24/13, avinash shahi <[email protected]> wrote: > The protesters’ only demand is a public place where they can stage an > indefinite fast | Martin Louis > By J Santhosh - CHENNAI > Published: 24th September 2013 07:50 AM > http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Blind-rage-for-protest-space-still-on/2013/09/24/article1799701.ece > A group of visually challenged persons in the city are proving that > physical disabilities are no barrier when it comes to putting up a > fight for their rights. For the eighth consecutive day, more than 300 > members of the College Students and Graduates Association for the > Blind (CSGAB) courted arrest by staging a road roko in the city. Their > only demand – a public place where they can stage an indefinite fast > over their demands. > > So far the police have resorted to several “intimidating tactics” to > disperse them, including leaving them in far off places without > telling them where they were – once at Kovalam Beach and once at > Madurantakam. “They told us we were at the Marina beach,” said > Velmurugan, general secretary of the organisation. “We only wanted a > secure place where nine of our members can stage their indefinite > fast. We do not wish to stage the road roko and create trouble for > public. But we are forced to do it as the police are denying us even > the basic right to protest,” said R Raja, one of the protesters. > > Four meetings with Social Welfare Minister B Valarmathi proved futile > as the protesters say that the officials were only keen on stopping > the protests rather than lending an earnest ear to their demands. “We > started our protest in front Government Guest House at Chepauk without > causing any trouble for the public. But the police forcefully removed > us from the spot forcing us to stage a road roko,” said N Murthy, one > of the protestors. > > On Monday, representatives of the visually challenged persons held a > meeting with Valarmathi. “The minister gave us mere oral promises. As > she refused to give it as a form of statement to press, we have > decided to continue our protest,” said a representative of CSGAB. > > All the protesters are postgraduates and doctorate-holders who say > that they still have to do menial jobs to earn a livelihood despite > their educational qualifications. Their main demand is recruitment of > visually challenged persons to teaching jobs and relaxation of the > eligibility criteria for teaching recruitment in government and > government-aided institutions. > > > -- > Avinash Shahi > M.Phil Research Scholar > Centre for The Study of Law and Governance > Jawaharlal Nehru University > New Delhi India > > 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 > > > 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.. > 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 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..
