Protests by differently-abled scuttled by Dharmapuri police; disabled protesters forcibly removed

Dharmapuri police allegedly exercised force against peaceful protests by Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-abled and caregivers  (TARATDAC) here outside the Collectorate and forcibly removed them from the protest site on Tuesday. The protesters were detained before their release.

TARATDAC had announced protests at the Collectorate over the non-conduct of the mandated monthly grievance meeting at the level of the revenue administration to expedite the applications for differently-abled certificates and social security schemes, and MNREGS. 

The announced protest, however, was allegedly scuttled by the police after the protesters led by the association’s State general secretary S. Nabmburajan were forcibly removed from the protest site. Among the protesters were differently-abed women, with one of the women potesters fainting inside the police vehicle. 

Later, speaking to The Hindu, Mr.Namburajan alleged that Dharmapuri administration’s addressing of the grievances of the differently-abled was far from desirable. “”This Collector as well as the previous Collector had not conducted the monthly grievance meeting under the revenue authorities for various social security schemes.  In other districts, the weekly grievance meeting will have doctors to ascertain the disability and for issue of certificates,” he said.

The monthly grievance meeting by the BDOs or the revenue officials, and the bi-monthly meetings under the Collector was never conducted here even before COVID , and during COVID, the pandemic was cited as a reason. Even as the commencement of regular government businesses, the meetings were not scheduled. MNREGS related demands, such as four-hour work day for differently abled has not been implemented in the district, Mr.Namburajan said.

Pushing for the above demands, the association had announced, a fortnight ago, a protest. However, high drama prevailed as police scuttled the protest attempt by the association.

Attempts by the protesters to meet the Collector were met with further hurdles such as lack of an elevator at the Collectorate building. “There is a ramp and no wheel chairs for our people to climb up the stairs. We are struggling with crutches to climb up, “ Mr.Namburajan said.