Chennai has been witnessing an extensive and prolonged protest lasting over seven days led by over 300 visually impaired students and individuals. The protest was directed against the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu, with demonstrators advocating for the fulfillment of nine demands. These demands encompassed various issues, including the request for a 1% reservation for the blind within the 4 percent seats designated for differently-abled individuals in the reservation system.
Additionally, the protesters called for prompt job placements for visually impaired individuals who have successfully passed the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) and an augmentation of the financial assistance provided to them. These demands have resonated strongly within the community, creating shockwaves and drawing attention to the pressing issues faced by visually impaired individuals.
The protest initially commenced on 14 February 2024, with over 100 visually impaired students from different districts gathering at Valluvar Kottam to express their dissatisfaction with the government. The discontent escalated, leading to an immediate declaration of a hunger strike. Subsequently, the protesters were apprehended by the police and subsequently transported to different locations, namely in buses to their respective homes.
The following day, the demonstration persisted at various locations, prompting police intervention once again. The protesters were detained, this time in marriage halls, before being released and sent back. This pattern continued for over seven days, spanning six different locations in Chennai, including Kodambakkam, T Nagar, Basin Bridge, Nungambakkam, Saidapet, and Valluvar Kottam. Reports also indicated instances of protests in various places across Tamil Nadu.
After the announcement in the Assembly, the Department of Welfare for the differently abled issued a government order on 24 July 2023, directing all departments to pinpoint positions for disabled individuals through specialized recruitment drives and exams. Despite Chief Minister MK Stalin’s assurance seven months ago that all outstanding government vacancies under the 4% quota for disabled individuals would be addressed through special exams and recruitment, no progress has been observed, and there has been no indication of forthcoming announcements or actions regarding these special exams or recruitments. This lack of action has specifically impacted the visually impaired, leaving them in a state of dissatisfaction with the government, leading to protests.
Differently-Abled Students Arrested En-Masse in Chennai
A total of 120 individuals participating in a demonstration in T. Nagar were apprehended by authorities. Simultaneously, in Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, around 60 visually impaired students engaging in a protest were forcefully removed by the police. Some of the protesters resisted, holding onto each other tightly, prompting the use of force by the police. Consequently, at least 35 individuals, including two women, were taken into custody. Another group of at least 35 visually impaired students, located near Basin Bridge, were arrested and confined to a marriage hall in Pulianthope. Additionally, approximately 30 individuals were detained at a marriage hall in Saidapet. In instances where protesters resisted, some were physically dragged along the road, while others were transported in a bus.
All these arrests and detentions specifically targeted students with disabilities who were advocating for the fulfillment of the DMK government’s pledged employment quota for them in teaching positions. This demand stemmed from a promise made by the DMK when it was in the opposition party in 2013, committing to provide employment opportunities for differently-abled individuals.
🚨Over 50 Visually Impaired Individuals Arrested in Chennai Protest pic.twitter.com/zfJJuPhpMT
— WarpaintJournal.in (@WarpaintJ) February 20, 2024
Differently-Abled Protesters Demanded Accountability And Inclusivity from DMK Government:
Dhanalakshmi, a protester from Kodambakkam, asked, “All we are seeking is employment; nothing more. Why is the State government neglecting our pleas?”
Another participant shared a distressing account of their encounters with the police, stating, “Each day, the police forcefully relocate us from the protest site, abandoning us near the highway on the outskirts of the city, usually at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.”
Aranga Raja, a protester from T Nagar, expressed disappointment, mentioning, “Despite meeting Minister for Social Welfare Geetha Jeevan with our demands, no action has been taken yet. It seems she needs to consult with the Chief Minister on this matter. Why hasn’t Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who oversees the Differently Abled Welfare portfolio, personally engaged with us? Conversations always involve the Social Welfare Minister. Where is our designated Minister?”
Deepak Nathan of the December 3 Movement remarked, “The protesters are also urging the government to enforce the 4% reservation in promotions, as mandated by the Supreme Court. There is a noticeable absence of representation for disabled individuals in the government, and implementing this reservation in both recruitment and promotions is crucial for fostering inclusivity.”
Rubanmuthu, the General Secretary of the College Students and Graduates Association of the Blind, expressed agitation, stating, “We urge the Chief Minister, who oversees the differently-abled department, to meet with us and address our concerns. The Teachers’ Recruitment Board should organize a special examination for the recruitment of PG assistants, and the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) should do the same for filling positions in all departments under categories A, B, C, and D to ensure reservation implementation. This initiative should extend to government universities and colleges. Additionally, we propose an exemption for visually-impaired candidates who have cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) from the TRB examination, enabling their appointment as graduate teachers.”
He also emphasized that if government had fulfilled its promise and implemented the reservation, many educated differently-abled individuals would now have secured employment.
In an official statement on the X platform, K Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president, emphasized the demands of individuals with disabilities in the state. He urged the government to prioritize the implementation of these demands, specifically emphasizing the need for a 1% seat reservation and the announced increase of Rs. 1000 assistance for differently-abled persons. “People with disabilities all over Tamil Nadu have been making demands for many years, insisting on reasonable demands, including that 1% seat reservation should be given to visually impaired persons in government and government-aided schools in Tamil Nadu, as per the seat reservation system of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.”
“The visually impaired people who have been protesting in Chennai for the last six days, demanding that the Tamil Nadu government, which has been waiting for many years and not providing them with proper educational qualification and success in the qualifying examination, have been arrested by the DMK government yesterday. The question arises as to why the DMK, which has been deceiving people for years by talking about fake social justice, is hesitating to implement the reservation procedure of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. Apart from that, since the announcement of increasing ₹1000 assistance for differently abled persons in August 2023, shocking information has also come out that in many districts the assistance has not been given at all. Actually for whom is this DMK government being run?” the statement read.
“I urge the DMK government to immediately accept all the reasonable demands of the visually impaired and issue appointment orders to them. If there is an intention to delay the appointments of differently-abled persons in order to collect money, I would like to remind you of the current situation of non-departmental ministers,” it further stated.
தமிழ்நாடு அரசுப் பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையத்தின் இடஒதுக்கீடு முறையின்படி, தமிழகத்தில் அரசு மற்றும் அரசு உதவி பெறும் பள்ளிகளில், பார்வைத்திறன் மாற்றுத் திறனாளர்களுக்கு 1% இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க வேண்டும் என்பது உள்ளிட்ட நியாயமான கோரிக்கைகளை வலியுறுத்தி, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் மாற்றுத் திறனாளர்கள்,… pic.twitter.com/cwfVXkRHKv
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) February 22, 2024
(With inputs from TNIE)
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