CHENNAI: Disability rights organisations and activists from across the country have issued a joint statement expressing opposition to the National Population Register (NPR), National Registry of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
“All the three are discriminatory in nature and will significantly affect people with disability, who are particularly worried about providing proof and details of place and date of birth,” the statement noted.
“Many of us, disabled, who for a variety of reasons have been abandoned, dislodged from our homes, homeless, stay in segregated colonies, or are permanently housed in institutions would not be able to provide many of the details asked for in the questionnaire, and also back it up with valid proofs,” they said.
Many persons with disabilities have been sent out of their homes or do not have contact with their families, leaving them with limited or no identity proofs. “We are also worried, as after the enumeration, the information will be crosschecked with the Unique Identification Authority of India to verify the individual’s biometrics. Mismatch of Aadhaar-generated biometrics has already deprived lakhs of poor and disabled people of their entitlements. Additionally, lakhs of disabled people have not been able to enroll for the Aadhaar card due to a several problems,” the statement read.
In addition to these concerns, they are also worried that if they are left out of the NRC by any chance, it would be extremely strenuous for them to visit government offices concerned, “which will doubtlessly be inaccessible and pose multiple hurdles.”
Owing to their restricted mobility, most of them depend on friends and family to travel. “Many disabled people do not even have birth certificates, leave alone the details of their previous generations,” they added in the statement.
The statement also noted that the NPR, NRC and CAA would cause long-term mental stress among persons with disabilities and make them feel as second-grade citizens who cannot prove their citizenship. “We have experienced severe difficulties and insurmountable hurdles even in procuring disability certificates. Procuring additional certificates in an entirely disabled-unfriendly environment means putting us through immense hardships and mental trauma,” they said.
Udhayanidhi meets JNU students
A team of DMK MLAs led by actor and youth wing president Udhayanidhi Stalin met students of JNU on Sunday and expressed solidarity. Udhayanidhi interacted with a few of the injured students and told reporters that his party would raise the demands of the students in the Parliament.