‘Overlooked’ in state, blind head for Delhi
Visually challenged to sit on fast-unto-death outside UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s residence
With their plight ‘overlooked’ by Haryana government, a delegation of 21 unemployed blind from different parts of the state began on Tuesday their protest march to New Delhi, to, what they say, get seen and heard by none other than UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
A group of blind people, including women, who had been sitting on a ‘dharna’ in front of the social justice and empowerment department, Haryana, here, for the past about three months, said that their demands had not been met despite their representations at different levels.
Their demands include filling of all the vacancies reserved in different departments for visually impaired, especially about 300
VACANCIES MEANT FOR VISUALLY CHALLENGED HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADVERTISED AND WILL BE FILLED SOON. THEIR OTHER DEMANDS TOO HAVE BEEN MET PK DAS, principal secretary, social justice and empowerment
clerical and artisans posts in the social justice and empowerment department, all benefits to about 110 chair weaver master trainers equivalent to other government employees, immediate repairs of blind institutes at Panipat and upg radation of Hisar and Sirsa blind schools from class 8 to matriculation, besides others.
“We would reach New Delhi by January 26 where we hold a fast-unto-death in front of the residence of United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi,” Krishan Malik, president of Haryana Blind Development Association, told Hindustan Times.
However, when contacted for comment, the principal secretary, social justice and empower ment, PK Das, said that the government had agreed upon all the said demands of the visually challenged .
“While the said vacancies have already been advertised and would thus be filled soon, their others demands pertaining to allowances and enhancing their retirement age have already been implemented,” he added.