How I got my Railway Photo Identity Card (for Persons with Disabilities) to access e-ticket facility

4 years ago on this day a historic decision was delivered by High Court of Delhi. Prior to that, even after 66 years of Independence, people with disabilities had no right to book railway tickets through internet. Ironically this facility was available to both non-disabled and elderly citizens. This prompted Mr Praveen Kumar G, a person with visual disability, to file a Public Interest Litigation through Advocate Mr. Pankaj Sinha, a lawyer with visual disability, alleging discrimination between disabled persons and senior citizens in the Policy of IRCTC which provides facilities and services for issuing the railway ticket on internet, or at the reservation counters. Vide Praveen Kumar G vs Union of India & Ors. in the HC of Delhi W.P.(C) 2145 of 2011, Hon’ble Court directed the Railway Board, Ministry of Railway, to start this facility for citizens with disability. The judgement is available at this link.

This was the genesis of Railway Photo Identity Card. Let me tell you that this card is different from ‘Railway Concession certificate’ which is based on verification of ‘Disability certificate’. However, one cannot book a ticket online through the latter hence the whole PIL. For easy explanation, I shall be using ‘E-concession card’ for ‘Railway Photo ID Card’ in this post.

The Railway Board vide its Commercial Circular No. 18 of 2015 detailed the whole scheme to all zonal railways for effective implementation through its letter dated 19 March 2015. The letter is uploaded here.

Steps for issuance of ‘E-concession card’ (Railway Photo ID Card) 

1. A person with disability entitled for railway concession has to approach Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Office along with Railway Concession certificate, Photo ID proof, Date of Birth proof, Address proof and 2 passport size photos (in person or by post) along with a set of attested photocopies. Letter should be addressed to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr DCM).

2. Commercial Inspector of the DRM office will in turn verify the documents from where the Railway Concession certificate was issued.

3. After verification E-concession card will be issued and the applicant will be informed telephonically to collect the card. The applicant with disability or his/her representative can collect the card after showing original certificates



So far, so good. However, to get this actually is a big hurdle. Since the launch of this facility, there has been lot of complaints of harassment of disabled persons by the Concession Cell of DRM Office, Delhi. I am a person with locomotor disability and I already have my disability certificate and railway concession certificate. I finally decided to test it on my own and applied for E-concession card on 30th May 2016. The DRM office on the State Entry Road (near Connaught Place) has a smashing ramp but the Concession Cell of the DRM office has a broken ramp completely unfit and risky for a wheelchair user and those wearing orthosis. When you enter inside, another broken bench will gather your attention. Anyways, I submitted my documents and the official said that I have to submit disability certificate as well. Infact, they have pasted a paper showing documents required on the glass window. I said nothing of this sort is mentioned in original Commercial Circular No. 18 (CC 18) of 2015. I showed him the pdf on my mobile. Looking at it for some time, he agreed and issued me a receiving. I tweeted about the unsafe ramp to Railway Minister and DRM. After some time, I asked one of my friend (another doctor with disability) about his card. He said he submitted a year ago on 12 June 2015 but still there has been no response. He also tweeted to the honourable mentions above. I further came to know about similar delays elsewhere.

We complained on twitter but the messages keeps getting forwarded from one twitter handle to another without any assistance. The public mobile number of Concession Cell (9717649957) remained switched off on three consecutive days despite complaint to Sr DCM. The other number provided by his office (011-42622054) could not be contacted.

In the mean time, CNN News18 highlighted my complaint of inaccessible ramp at Concession Cell of DRM office on it show Citizen Journalist. The recording is available on YouTube at the following link between 7.50 min to 9.20 min : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCPHyuYp-80

So finally, I wrote a long email to Railway Minster, with copy to Executive Director (Public Grievances) and DRM. I also mentioned that CC 18 states clearly that ‘the total process till the issuance of card should be completed within reasonable time from the date of receipt of application.’ I gave example of my friend Dr Nirad Yadav who applied 14 months ago. I also mentioned that Concession Cell is unnecessary asking for disability certificate and thereby harassing those who are following Railway Circular and about the broken ramp.

The very next day, I got call from Concession Cell that mine and Dr Yadav’s cards are ready and we can collect them.

Both of us went to the Concession Cell on 9th September 2016. After reaching there, we came to know that we have to take a token. There was a huge rush but we waited and took tokens. The process was painstakingly slow so after an hour I called on the number which invited us. . I called the number which had given us a call the other day. The gentleman was sitting in front of the counter and rudely said ‘wait for your turn’. The public mobile number 9717649957 was still switched off on 4th successive day.

We waited patiently, standing in the hot foyer. When our turn came, they insisted for de-lamination as they have to write the number on original Railway Concession Certificate. We said it's difficult to de-laminate and requested them to keep it with themselves since we shall be getting e-concession in turn. To this they clarified that the e-card is valid only for 5 years and has to be renewed. This was ridiculous since my disability was permanent. Why a person with permanent disability and a valid permanent disability certificate needs to prove to the railways again and again that he is disabled?


Anyways, rather than arguing we went outside at Connaught Place to get the needful done. My friend got his card and I told him to rush to his hospital since it took us much longer than what we had anticipated. It was my turn came now. The official said that I have not provided the disability certificate. I replied in affirmative and said why do you need it when based on the same certificate, Railways have issued me Railways Concession Certificate. To this he said they won’t be able to issue me the card then. I said that I have submitted all the documents which are required as per the Railway Circular. I told him to write on my application why the card cannot be issued. He was taken aback. He said, Sir you are doctor, things will be delayed. I said you only called me after I wrote to your bosses and I will only furnish those documents which are mentioned in the circular. His fingers were trembling as he did not want to give anything in writing. His nearby fellow coaxed him to reject. He went inside to consult seniors.

It was 12.30 pm. The mob was building with people from far off places like Faridabad and Ghaziabad standing on their crutches because of limited seating arrangements. I chatted with the people around. Few of them were waiting since more than a year. I took photos of their application (Mr Pramod Kumar, Mr Nagender Narayan) & started tweeting to the Railway Minister and DRM I uploaded pictures of the broken bench as well as the inaccessible ramp too. It was 1 pm with official lunch hour in progress. Few minutes later, twitter handle of Sr DCM tweeted back and about my mobile number. I showed it to the official sitting inside and he asked how many days old is this tweet? The animated crowd behind said in unison '1 min back'. Few phone calls came and whole staff vanished from the Concession Cell. At around 1.45 pm, their senior official came with the copy of circular in his hand. I said you are harassing us by asking irrelevant documents. He apologized and said, 'Sir, you are right. Mistake is from top. They ignored the fact that computerized certification needs disability certificate number. He took notice of the ramp too and listened to the other people who were getting impatient by now. His junior collected names of all of us and in the next minute, I got my card. Two others received their cards as well. I was told not to get it laminated since it has to be renewed after 5 years. This is in stark contrast to what it’s written in the guidelines. The circular states that we should get it laminated as per point number 9.

Later in the day, I got a call from another of my dentist friend with disability that he has been asked to collect his card as well. He got it on the next working day.

There are more questions than answers in this whole saga. Why the Railways are hell bent on doing the CBI inquiry of our railway concession card? It is issued only on the basis of our disability certificate which is in turn given by a Government medical board. Do the Railways question the integrity of Government doctors?
Why they need multiple certificates? Why the old Railway Concession certificate is not valid now consideing the new process of issuance taking 6 months to an year? Moreover, The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will be shortly releasing universal identity card for people with disabilities which will be a single card to avail all government benefits. With this in sight, why the Railways wants to engage its already under-staffed DRM office to do a Sherlock Holmes on our railway concession cards?
Is it so difficult for Mr Prabhu to speak to Mr Gehlot and find a workable solution?

I began this post by mentioning about the PIL filed by people with disabilities. I end this post by emphasizing that all policy, guidelines for people with disabilities will be futile until and unless we the disabled people are involved in the decisions.

Success: IITs to take back disability pic order

IITs can no longer ask students with disabilities applying for the JEE (Advanced) test to submit a photograph showing their disability. The order was issued on a complaint filed by a Delhi University Professor who had earlier forced the UPSC to withdraw a "discriminatory" form.

IITs asked to stop using disability photos in applications
Hindustan Times, new Delhi, 3rd Nov 2015

NEW DELHI: The court of the chief commissioner of persons with disability (CCPD) has asked IITs to stop making physically-challenged applicants of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) JEE-Advanced fill forms and attach a picture of their disability as it amounts to discrimination. The CCPD wrote to IIT-Bombay on October 28.

Around 1.5 lakh students, who qualify the JEE Mains, are eligible to sit for the JEE Advance. Of the total seats, 3% is reserved for students with disability.

“IITs should stop using the form and adhere to the format of disability certificate as provided in the People with Disability Amendment Rules 2009,” reads the letter from the commissioner.

The CCPD has also said that the candidature of the candidates should not be cancelled on the basis of a different format of the disability certificate.
The CCPD also asked the IITs to provide the details of action taken within 30 days from the receipt of the letter. The matter was highlighted after Professor Satendra Singh, co-ordinator of the enabling unit of the University College of Medical Sciences (University of Delhi), filed a complaint with the court of commissioner.

“In July this year, I received an email from a student about IIT using a different disability performa. Earlier too, I had raised a similar issue with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) form. Since it is a violation of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Amendment Rules, 2009, which clearly states that a photograph of the face is required in the disability certificate, I wrote to the commissioner,” said Singh.

Earlier too, on Singh’s complaint, the court of CCPD had directed the UPSC to withdraw similar performa asking candidates to attach photo ‘showing’ disability. So in November 2014, the UPSC complied with the commissioner’s letter and discontinued the discriminatory performa.

Students who have gone through this process think it was not required.

“When a disability certificate from a doctor was being submitted, why was there a need to show one’s disability? Such discriminatory rules need to be abandoned all together and authorities need to be more sensitive towards people with disability,” said a first-year computer science student at IIT-Khargapur.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/iits-asked-to-stop-using-disability-photos-in-applications/story-ooKM1jGog3BJ8ZFNPvJ9oK.html

No national data on HIV/AIDS among disabled, reveals RTI

I earlier shared my article published in RHiME highlighting people with disabilities living with HIV/AIDS as the missing voices in National AIDS response. I backed it up with RTI's and than complained to the Court of Commissioner, Disabilities GNCTD. The Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) took my suggestions in positive light and now has written to NACO. The later, however, doesn't have any national data on people with disabilities living with HIV/AIDS.

No national data on HIV/AIDS among differently-abled, reveals RTI

THE HINDU, NEW DELHI, May 10, 2015

The Capital has nine antiretroviral treatment centres, but none of them has information on the alternate format for blind or sign language interpreters for deaf people, who are living with HIV.

This is as per a Right to Information reply obtained by disability rights activist Satendra Singh from University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi.

Stating that persons with disabilities are the missing voices in India’s national AIDS response, the physician noted that in the first report of its kind, UNAIDS Gap report 2014 had identified 12 populations at higher risk of HIV (of which people with physical disability is one) and emphasised covering these to close the gap.

This Gap report estimates that India has the third largest number of people living with HIV in the world and accounts for about 4 out of 10 people living with HIV in the region.

“The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in its response to an RTI had noted that they do not have any national data on HIV/AIDS prevalence among people with disabilities,’’ said Dr. Singh.

He added that the NACO annual report of 2013-14 too does not feature a single word with ‘disability’ or ‘persons with disabilities’. Disability is also not mentioned in the HIV/AIDS (Prevention & Control) Bill 2014 as introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

“The Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) has accepted the lacunae and responded stating that suggestions have been conveyed to NACO to include people with disabilities living with HIV in national response, convert all info on sexual and reproductive services AIDS/HIV in accessible format, prevalence among disabled to be included in next survey, disability questions to be used in existing survey,” said Dr. Singh.

“We have also suggested that State Commissioner of Disabilities be part of State AIDS Control & Prevention Societies. Also, the Medical Council of India has written to include disability studies to be part of the MBBS curriculum and Delhi Medical Council to issue instructions to Hospitals and Clinics to be disabled friendly,” he added.

People living with disability (PWD) are world’s largest minority and hence part of every social group included as vulnerable and risk group in UNAIDS Gap report.

“There is also low awareness of HIV among PWDs. The 2007 survey done in rural areas of India revealed the fact that one-fifth of people interviewed had never heard of HIV and is a cause for great concern. People with mental or developmental disabilities generally lack the ability to develop the social skills to recognise predatory behaviour and avoid vulnerable situation. The situation is same for wheelchair users isolated in homes and restricted from communicating with society,” noted Dr. Singh.

Singh S. India’s AIDS response: the missing voices of persons with disabilities. RHiME [Internet]. 2015 Jan 12 [cited 2015 Feb 14];1:[about 8p.].

People with disabilities: The missing voices in India's HIV/AIDS response

The open access, peer reviewed online journal 'Research & Humanities in Medical Education' (RHiME) published my review article on people with disabilities and India's HIV response. Here's the abstract:

India has the third largest number of people living with HIV in the world. The UNAIDS Gap report has identified twelve risk groups that are especially vulnerable and have been left behind from the national AIDS response. Of these twelve, one is persons with disabilities. Disability is both a public health issue and a human rights issue; persons with disabilities are the world’s largest minority. Low awareness, sexual abuse, and lack of access to health services are the major reasons for people with disabilities being vulnerable. While the gap report is a landmark report, in that it compartmentalizes the risk groups, disability cannot be looked at in isolation. Since any of the other risk groups may include persons with disabilities, the issue is a complex one meriting greater attention. The National AIDS Control Organization has completely ignored this group of persons. To efficiently close the gap, an integrated and disability-inclusive HIV response is needed so that people with different types of disabilities, their caretakers, healthcare professionals and society are empowered to fight the collective battle against HIV/AIDS.

Full article can be read at the following link:

Singh S. India’s AIDS response: the missing voices of persons with disabilities. RHiME [Internet]. 2015 Jan 12 [cited 2015 Feb 14];1:[about 8p.].

Disability activists slams Modi's insulting comments on disabled

To,                                                                                                             10 April 2014

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)

The complaint was lodged to ECI by Dr Singh carrying the complaint number JH/12/283194

MEDIA REPORTS:

India: Insulting remarks by Narendra Modi regarding PwD reflects a whole mindset.

NPRD condemned Narendra Modi's comment on 'Handicapped'

When netas use disability as abuse. Times of India. 20 Apr 2014

A must read post on the current controversy surrounding the Rights of PwD Bill.

Why you should care about the Disabilities Bill 

Amba Salelkar DNA,  January 29, 2014 

So there are people on crutches and wheelchairs at a candlelight vigil, asking for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill to be passed. Maybe you ignored it, and maybe rolled your eyes at the prospect of “more reservations”, because that’s all you hear anyone talking about.

Now, there is talk in the media about how the Disabilities Bill is bad, violative of some international laws and human rights, and maybe you wondered why there was a volte face. In any case, when “normal people” in India are suffering so much, how much would the government be able to do for people with disabilities anyway?

You are part of the 85% or so of the Indian population who are persons without disabilities. You might also be, relatively, a privileged person, since you are reading this article, which is in English and which you found on the internet, most likely through social media. Sure, there is a link between disability and poverty; so most persons with disabilities in India hover around the poverty line. 

This is not, however, why you should care about the Disabilities Bill. You should care about it, because it will, without a doubt, affect you, even if not directly.

The Disabilities Bill is perhaps yet another legislation aimed at the protection and empowerment of yet another minority group. Unlike many other minority groups, however, membership to the minority of persons with disabilities is always open. And unlike other minority groups which do have open membership, however, membership to this minority is rarely – if ever – out of choice. 

You finish reading this article, walk out of your office and, in an unfortunate turn of events, get hit by a bus. You are unable to walk without assistive devices. You find yourself slowly excluded from your friend circles since you cannot join them on the usual Saturday night dinner-drinks-and-a-film plans because most restaurants, bars and theatres are not disabled-friendly, and therefore inaccessible, and it is too embarrassing for you to ask friends or completely untrained staff members for help all the time. You try to see if there is some way to enforce these private players to provide ramps and other means of access, but the law only requires government establishments to be accessible to the disabled.

You have a child who is diagnosed with autism. Like all parents, you believe your child has promise despite the “unfortunate” label of disability, and you want her to go to a regular school and interact with other children, and be given the additional support she needs. The Right to Education Act says children have a right to inclusive education, doesn’t it? Your child has started going to the neighbourhood school and you perceive that she actually enjoys, and is quite insistent, on her daily routine. A few weeks later, you receive a strange bureaucratic order of sorts, declaring that it has been deemed “necessary” that your child goes to a special school. You are appalled and go to a lawyer. You find, much to your horror, that this exclusion is valid in the law. 

Your parents are old, and you work abroad. Your mother is losing her eyesight and your father, his hearing, and both disabilities are quite severe. Since everything is so inaccessible, they have their fair share of mishaps, which their maid notices. She narrates this story to many people, and one self-appointed “social worker”, purportedly acting on their behalf, goes to an assessment board with an application saying your parents are people with “high support needs” since they need intensive support for daily activities and to access facilities, and are thus unable to live on their own. 

Accordingly, because they are so vulnerable to the inaccessible environment around them, the board’s idea of “high support” is to move them into an institution for the elderly disabled. You come back in a frantic hurry. You find your parents do not have a right to insist on what living arrangements they want, and that India has a law which allows an assessment board to determine the support they require without even consulting them, let alone you. Luckily, your parents are ultimately released, quite crudely, into your “custody”. 

Your best friend, who has been coping with mental health issues for a while, has finally been diagnosed with bipolar depression. You know he has his moments of vulnerability, but for the most part, knows how to take care of himself, much like everyone else. His relatives disagree and, armed with medical certificates from doctors certifying he is “of unsound mind”, approach a court to have one of themselves appointed as guardian. 

The atmosphere of the court and the sheer frustration of the process triggers your friend to have an episode in court, and the court accordingly holds that he is “incapable of taking legally binding decisions” for himself. His bank accounts, assets – everything – is taken away from him and solely managed by a guardian appointed from amongst his relatives, with less than noble intentions. They are taking advantage of him, and he has no recourse because a court has actually certified that he is of unsound mind. 

His guardian is now selling off a flat that belongs to him, though your friend wants to hold on to it. You look at the law that governs the guardianship, and find that there is no way to appeal the appointment of a guardian. There is a promising section which says the guardianship is limited, and that the process should be consultative between the guardian and the person. But if there is a clash of opinion, you find that there is no way to address this. Your friend is helpless. 

These aren’t conjectures – they are borne out of extremely real scenarios and how they would play out against the lacunas in the law. And if we had a law that was entirely compliant with the UNCRPD, all of these situations would have happy endings. And even if we have to wait, we are still hoping for one.

Amba Salelkar is a lawyer, who moved into disability law and policy after six years in criminal litigation. She works with the Inclusive Planet Centre for Disability and Policy. She tweets @mumbaicentral.

DU Prof highlights hurdles in letter to EC (Disabled voters rip apart system on web)

Times of India covering the issue (6th Dec 2013)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Delhi-assembly-polls-Disabled-voters-rip-apart-system-on-web/articleshow/26922114.cms

Raw Deal for Physically Challanged Voters

The Supreme Court order of 2007 to Chief Election Commissioner was the result of a letter written to the Chief Justice of India by Mr Javed Abidi, convener of the Disabled Rights Group (DRG) before the 2004 election, demanding that necessary steps be taken to make the polling process accessible to the disabled. The letter was converted into public interest litigation (PIL). Apart from ramps in polling booths and Braille-enabled EVMs, the Supreme Court judgment also says that poll personnel must be sensitised to the special needs of the disabled (hearing impaired) and be courteous to them.

This was publicized as the most high-tech polls ever but for disabled voters, it was like ostracizing in their own country. Live webcast notwithstanding, architectural, attitudinal and technological barriers confronted voters with disabilities while exercising their right to vote:  no Braille signs or ramps, an absence of Sign Language interpreters, no automatic door openers, narrow doorways and inaccessible voting machines.

On what basis does the capital of world’s largest democracy legally deprive an estimated 80,000 voters with disability of this fundamental civic right?  I complained it to the election commission as well as Chief and State Commissioner’s of Persons with Disability.

Today’s Statesman has also covered the story on page 2. Sharing it here:

RAW DEAL FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED VOTERS

By Chandan Prakash Singh (singh.chandan@thestatesman.net)

New Delhi, 4 December 2013, The Staesman (Delhi Edition, page 2)

The lack of ramps and Braille signs at several polling booths, led physically challenged voters, including first timers,having a tough time in exercising their franchise for the Delhi Assembly election today.

According to Dr Satendra Singh, professor at the University College of medical Sciences (UCMS) and GTB Hospital, despite clear guidelines from the Supreme Court, disabled voters were not informed about accessible polling booths either on radio or newspapers.

“The polling booth at a training centre outside GTB Hospital, Dilshad Garden, had no ramp or Braille signage facility as several of my students, including the first timers, faced lots of trouble while casting their votes. This was just one example of such mismanagement noticed while polling as there were numerous booths.” said Dr Singh.

Ms Abha Khetarpal, wheelchair user and the president of 'Cross the Hurdles' organization, said:
"Polling booth number A 28 at Subhash Nagar, where I was supposed to cast my vote, had no ramps for wheelchairs and no Braille stickers.” She said polling booths number 11, 12, 13, 14 in Rajokri had no ramps and Braille stickers. Besides, polling booth number 13 in Rajokri had seven stairs which was inaccessible for physically disabled people.

“How can it be called government for the people, by the people and for the people. If we report this to media they ask for proof of this with pictures which is not allowed. Said Ms Khetarpal.

Shivani Gupta, another wheelchair user and President of 'AccessAbility' organization, could not cast her vote due to inaccessibility of her polling booth.

Similar situations were noticed at Mundka (Nitholi) in North West Delhi which was completely inaccessible. Some disabled voters were also seen taking pictures of booth where wheelchair users could not enter.

“I am marking the complaint to Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities and State Commissioner of Person with Disabilities, Delhi, to take strict and appropriate action as disabled voters were deprived of their voting rights. I also declare, I am a person with disability myself. I am copying the mail to disabled voters mentioned above.”said Dr Satendra Singh.

On International Day of the Persons with Disabilities and just a day before the Delhi Elections, same issues were raised by me in the Hindi daily ‘Hindustan’ where election officer made false promises.Today’s ‘The Hindu’ has also raised the issue along with ‘The Times of India’. It’s now upon Election Commission to respond and rectify these grave mistakes in future. What is more ironical is the plight of persons with psychosocial impairment who are just not considered eligible for voting.

UPSC discrimination: Relief for one disabled doctor but what about others

The Hindu and India Medical Times covered how I was rejected by UPSC to apply for the post of Assistant Professor of Physiology not once but twice. It also mentioned the discriminatory proforma available at the UPSC website which all disabled candidates have to used.

This proforma for medical certificate for disabled candidates applying to the various UPSC posts is not only discriminatory but also violating human rights of respect, equality and dignity. It asks candidates (despite having a permanent disability certificate to attach recent photo SHOWING disability). It’s a form of harassment, discrimination and infringement of the privacy, dignity, respect and human rights of the physically disabled applicants and should be STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. What is the need to strip when a qualified medical board has already examined the candidate?

The proforma is available on the website and mandatory for all disabled candidates.
upsc.gov.in> Recruitment> Proforma> Proforma for medical certificate for PH candidate

Here is the screen shot:

The Times of India and The Hindu, the leading newspapers in India have covered both of the issues in their 16th November 2013 paper. India Medical Times also covered the story. Lets hope, the UPSC officials respond in time to allow all disabled doctors to apply as well as remove the discriminatory proforma at the earliest.

The Times of India. 16 Nov 2013. Page 8. UPSC flouts govt's job criteria for disabled.

The Hindu. 16 Nov 2013. Doctor with disability alleges discrimination by UPSC.

India Medical Times. 14 Nov 2013. Success for Dr Singh, but other physically challenged doctors still in lurch.

Clarifications
I take this opportunity to clarify few unintentional mistakes in print reports.

TOI, 16 Nov mentioned, "After I came to know that my candidature was rejected on ground of disability, I approached CAT. It said I could appear for interview. But I didn't get a call."

Clarification-The CAT order allowed me to appear for the interview and I did appeared for the interview but I wasn't selected. "I didn't get a call" is mistakenly written in the report.

The Hindu, 16 Nov states,"Dr. Singh has now approached a court seeking assistance to direct the UPSC to allow all the eligible disabled doctors to participate in the interview and remove the ‘discriminatory requirement’.

Clarification- The matter was already in the Court of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. It was because of the speedier intervention of CCPD and Secretary, Health &  Family Affair that I was allowed. My dissatisfaction is with the order allowing only me. The 2011 letter from MoHFW allowed myself and other similarly placed candidates to appear for the interview. Current letter does not allow other candidates.

Also read:

Rejected by UPSC twice, physically challenged doctor battles for justice. India Medical Times. 8 Nov 2013

UPSC discriminating against me, alleges differently-abled doctor. The Hindu. 11 Nov 2013

M.S.J.E doesn't consider disabled doctors fit for teaching jobs. DNIS. 1 March 2011

UPSC discriminating against me, alleges differently-abled doctor

Today's The Hindu also picks up the story. Read the full report at the below link:

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/upsc-discriminating-against-me-alleges-differentlyabled-doctor/article5334572.ece

It’s not about the Assistant Professor post of Physiology alone in Advt 16/2013. You cannot even apply for Psychiatry, Urology also. As it was not enough, I saw the new advt 17/2013 yesterday on UPSC site and and tried creating registration for the posts of Senior lecturer in Pathology, Radiodiagnosis, Anaesthesiology and Professor in Physiology at GMC Chandigarh through UPSC but the moment you enter disability details they reject your application. The problem is more for general candidate applicants (like me) since it’s mandatory to answer whether you are disabled or not and the moment you mention the truth, they kick you out. Perhaps our policy makers should learn about Dr Advani and Dr Verghese (wheelchair doctors from India)

Rejected by UPSC twice, physically challenged doctor battles for justice

Friday, November 8, 2013

by Vidhi Rathee
India Medical Times

New Delhi: “Lightning does strike twice and at the same place when it comes to the plight of persons with disabilities,” said Dr Satendra Singh, a polio survivor and assistant professor of physiology at the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) and Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, New Delhi.

Read the full story here:
http://www.indiamedicaltimes.com/2013/11/08/rejected-by-upsc-twice-physically-challenged-doctor-battles-for-justice/

Delhi Metro: Not so friendly for the disabled

Isha Arora, Oct 9, 2013, Deccan Herald, MetroLife

Travelling aboard his self-crafted skating board, Sushil Soni scrambled for getting aboard the Metro, not once but twice at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station and Central Secretariat. He had to switch lines to reach Lajpat Nagar at 10:30 pm. When Metrolife encountered this incident, it spoke to Soni to enquire if it happened to him regularly. 

To this he humbly answered, “It’s almost the last train towards home. You cannot expect helpers and guards to assist you this late in the night. They are very helpful otherwise.”  There is no denying the fact that Delhi Metro is the most disabled-friendly transport in the country owing to tactile-plates, wheelchairs, lifts, washrooms and assistance offered to physically challenged commuters. But does the system get paralysed at night?

Speaking to Anjlee Agarwal , accessibility consultant for Samarthyam, an outfit that conducts accessibility audits for DMRC, poses a different reality, as she says, “ You should always ask for assistance from the ‘sahayaks’ at the Metro line. We organise regular audits at stations. Minor problems do crop up, which we have listed in our report to DMRC so that these get addressed before the new lines are introduced.”

But talking to physically challenged people in the Capital throws open a Pandora’s box. Ummul Kher, an M Phil student in Jawahar Lal Nehru University walks with crutches. “It’s just not night hours. A week back I ventured out to Karkardooma from Hauz Khas at 11 am. It is very expensive to use an auto for long distances but it’s a torture to use Metro. It took me two days to recover and move out of bed as I was almost crushed by the sea of people at Rajiv Chowk. Though Metro stations could also be improved, it actually boils down to insensitivity of people - from both Metro staff and citizens.”

Ummul vehemently adds, “If there are Metro sahayaks at stations, they better make themselves visible because we cannot always drag ourselves up from lifts to ask for their assistance at AFC (Automatic Fare Collecting) gates. The accessibility feature of DMRC is something that it should flaunt and improve for setting up an example.” 

Raman Singh, a visually impaired Metro-user says, “They have very strategically built the tactile plates for our movement but there’s a special training needed for understanding which colour of plate leads towards which platform.” For instance, at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, there are yellow and blue tactile plates leading to the respective Metro lines.

Dr Satendra Singh, Assistant Professor in University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) says, “It is a massive exercise to climb up at that platform for checking when I use callipers instead of crutches. You should see the toilets for the disabled at main Metro stations like Central Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk. These are either locked up or used as stores – I have never seen them working. And the lifts marked for disabled and senior citizens are crammed with all sorts of lethargic people.” 

Perhaps, to make the Metro disabled-friendly in the real sense of the word, it would take a behavioural check from both citizens and authorities to comprehend the problems of the physically challenged.

NHFDC finally responds on my complaints

 

Please also see related posts based on my complaint letter:

'Communication gap' hits disabled students.

NHFDC's MoU with inaccessible PNB branches to harasses students with disabilities.

Salman Khan's Dixcy Scott Ad irks disability activists

In a commercial (video below) to sell Dixcy Scott inner wear for men, Salman Khan deliberately loses to a father of child with disability (shown in crutch) to make him win the cash prize. By losing deliberately for charity or to show magnanimity only because the child has disability sends wrong signals. It is more ‘a sell than a sale’ by showing pity on the people with disabilities they want to encourage the attitude of patronizing. If the child shown was a non-disabled child, then would the wearer of vest be not as macho as he is now? Or if the child shown was having invisible disability (hearing impairment), would the wearer of vest still lose the fight? Why do media want to portray that the people with disabilities are only ‘the takers’? Or does it give the society an opportunity to "demonstrate to themselves that they still belong to a moral community?’’

It is completely outrageous to see deliberate portrayal of helplessness just to sell a product. Disability is considered a problem that needs corrections and through the charity. And unfortunately because of this age long labelling and branding of people with disabilities, they themselves have accepted this as an order of the day. Such depictions of disability that originate in the arts, literature, film, television, and other mass media fiction works, are frequently normalized through repetition to the general audience.  The cute, loveable child in need of a cure and care sends the message that if benevolent others contribute money; we can make disability go away.

These instances don’t only create attitudinal barriers but also promote internalization of disability in the people themselves disabling them all the more.

Unfortunately disability still remains an issue of charity not only in our society but also in the psyche of the common man and the media world tends to promote this stereotype just for the sake of profits.

This psyche needs to be changed because thought processes do tend to become hereditary. We need to unlearn certain things and certain behaviours which we otherwise tend to ignore in the name of trends, patterns, etc. What we need is a paradigm shift. Otherwise we would never be able to come out the medical or charity model of disability and shift towards right based issues. To do businesses and ‘use’ disability as an object of pity to assuage conscience and giving the non disabled an opportunity to feel altruistic, I think, is absolutely inhuman.

As Salman Khan writes on the Dixcy Scott’s website ‘Difference starts within’, we must understand that we all are different and any one of us can have impairment any time in our life. It’s perfectly normal to be different, to have impairment. The indifferent attitudes of society make us disabled. It is like being inhuman. We strongly condemn the depiction of such things and would request the authorities to ban this commercial from being aired at the earliest.

Complaint has been sent to Indian Broadcasting Foundation and Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, India.

Abha Khetarpal (President, Cross the Hurdles), Counsellor with a disability

Dr Satendra Singh, Doctor with disability