Chief Election Commissioner
Govt of India
&
Chief Commissioner for PwD
Govt of India
Dear Sir,
Being a citizen of India and a person with disability, I strongly condemn the views expressed by BJP presidential candidate Shri Narendra Modi at Jamshedpur today on 10 April, 2014.
The PTI reports that Mr Modi said at the election rally that "the country does not want a deaf and dumb, handicapped government, run by remote control, at the Centre. The country wants a 'sevak' (worker) to lead it to new heights,"
The text of the report appearing in the Pioneer is available at the following link here:
If the reported remarks are true it reflects very poorly on a candidate who is aspiring to be the Prime Minister of the country.
It is not the first such remark by Mr Modi. I quote from the New Indian Express verbatim:
“…He didn’t spare former chief minister Ajit Jogi either calling him an “apahij” (cripple)—“He is in wheelchair...,” implying a disabled leader cannot take his party to victory. He compared the Congress leadership with a Bollywood movie where a family introduced their beautiful daughter while finalising a marriage proposal but later switched sisters by bringing in the one with disability (Jogi) for the marriage ceremony…”
It is unbecoming of a person contesting to become the most coveted citizen of the country to express such insensitivity and callousness, even while lashing out at his rival. The language used to deride your rival cannot be tempered with phrases that are clearly derogatory in nature. In a sweeping remark the PM aspirant has deemed persons with disabilities as being unfit to hold the government post. He should, perhaps, read more about FD Roosvelt.
While strongly protesting against such unwanted remarks, the nation calls upon for an unqualified apology from Shri Modi for his insulting remarks.
Two years ago, Shri Sangma made similar derogatory remark that “India should have a President, who is not blind, dumb and deaf.” Neither Election Commission nor CCPD took any action on my complaint dated 9 & 10 July 2012. I request you all to respect the sentiments of disabled community and condemn these outrageous and insulting remarks by a PM candidate.
A disabled and proud citizen of India
Dr Satendra Singh
Press Statement by National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) 11 April 2014
The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) strongly condemns the views expressed by Shri Narendra Modi at Jamshedpur yesterday while campaigning for the BJP there.
It has been reported that the BJP’s Prime Ministerial aspirant, speaking at an election rally said that "the country does not want a deaf and dumb, handicapped government”. The observations by Mr. Modi reflect a hackneyed mindset that is biased against persons with disabilities. Implicit in Modi’s statement is that persons with disabilities are “handicapped” and unable to discharge any responsibility let alone hold public office.
It has now become a habit for Modi to make such remarks. On an earlier occasion, he had called the former Chhattisgarh CM, Shri Ajit Jogi, a wheelchair user, a “cripple”.
Patronising terms like “specially-abled”, contained in the BJP’s manifesto, cannot hide the parochial mindset of the BJP, which promotes a model of development that works to the disadvantage of the marginalised.
It may be recalled that two years ago the BJP-backed candidate for the President’s office, Shri P.A. Sangma also expressed such insensitivity by stating that “India should have a President, who is not blind, dumb and deaf. India should have a thinking and a functional President.”
We would like to remind the BJP leadership that there are any number of persons with disabilities, the blind and the deaf included, who have made sterling contributions in public life.
Whatever the provocation, even at the height of a bitter political campaign, usage of such terms to deride political opponents is unpardonable. Such insensitivity and callous remarks made with the intent of deriding your opponents cannot be condoned and go unchallenged.
The NPRD lodges its unequivocal protest against these insensitive remarks made by the BJP leader and calls for an unqualified apology from him. It urges upon the Election Commission of India to take suitable action against him for these uncalled for remarks, which are not just an insult but question the intelligence and capabilities of persons with disabilities.
Muralidharan
(Secretary)
When netas use disability as abuse. Times of India. 20 Apr 2014
The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) strongly condemns the views expressed by Shri Narendra Modi at Jamshedpur yesterday while campaigning for the BJP there.
It has been reported that the BJP’s Prime Ministerial aspirant, speaking at an election rally said that "the country does not want a deaf and dumb, handicapped government”. The observations by Mr. Modi reflect a hackneyed mindset that is biased against persons with disabilities. Implicit in Modi’s statement is that persons with disabilities are “handicapped” and unable to discharge any responsibility let alone hold public office.
It has now become a habit for Modi to make such remarks. On an earlier occasion, he had called the former Chhattisgarh CM, Shri Ajit Jogi, a wheelchair user, a “cripple”.
Patronising terms like “specially-abled”, contained in the BJP’s manifesto, cannot hide the parochial mindset of the BJP, which promotes a model of development that works to the disadvantage of the marginalised.
It may be recalled that two years ago the BJP-backed candidate for the President’s office, Shri P.A. Sangma also expressed such insensitivity by stating that “India should have a President, who is not blind, dumb and deaf. India should have a thinking and a functional President.”
We would like to remind the BJP leadership that there are any number of persons with disabilities, the blind and the deaf included, who have made sterling contributions in public life.
Whatever the provocation, even at the height of a bitter political campaign, usage of such terms to deride political opponents is unpardonable. Such insensitivity and callous remarks made with the intent of deriding your opponents cannot be condoned and go unchallenged.
The NPRD lodges its unequivocal protest against these insensitive remarks made by the BJP leader and calls for an unqualified apology from him. It urges upon the Election Commission of India to take suitable action against him for these uncalled for remarks, which are not just an insult but question the intelligence and capabilities of persons with disabilities.
Muralidharan
(Secretary)
The complaint was lodged to ECI by Dr Singh carrying the complaint number JH/12/283194
MEDIA REPORTS:
When netas use disability as abuse. Times of India. 20 Apr 2014
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