[Reader-list] Fwd: FW: {Disability Studies India} Fwd: Modi's Insulting Remarks

[Ravikant]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hemakarah <hemakarah at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Apr 11, 2014 at 2:02 PM
Subject: FW: {Disability Studies India} Fwd: Modi's Insulting Remarks
To: Ravikant <ravikant at sarai.net>






*From:* disability-studies-india at googlegroups.com [mailto:
disability-studies-india at googlegroups.com] *On Behalf Of *Sruti disAbility
Rights Centre
*Sent:* Friday, April 11, 2014 1:09 PM
*To:* disability-studies-india at googlegroups.com
*Subject:* {Disability Studies India} Fwd: Modi's Insulting Remarks





---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: *National Platform For The Rights of the Disabled (NPRD)* <
nprd.in at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Apr 11, 2014 at 12:04 PM
Subject: Modi's Insulting Remarks
To:

 National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled

4, Ashoka Road, New Delhi 110 001,

Email: nprd.in at gmail.com; Tel. 9868768543

April 11, 2014

*Press Statement*

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*



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