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Letter to Finance Minister from Javed Abidi, on 15^th January 2010

NC/10-11/ BUDGET,
15th January, 2010

Dear Sir,
You may recall that I, along with a delegation of disabled rights activists from across the country had a meeting with you at your residence after the last Union Budget was placed in the Parliament. We had expressed our disappointment at the fact that disability was totally neglected in the Budget, despite our letters to you. You had then assured us that you would look into matter.

Sir, in a matter of a few weeks, you would be presenting the Union Budget for the year 2010-11. Historically, the issues concerning 70 million disabled people have always been pushed to the sidelines. However, we have high hopes from you this time around.

Sir, as you are aware, the XIth Five Year Plan has an entire chapter on disability issues. However, it is disheartening that the Plan is already halfway through and not even a single promise has been kept.

Besides many other things, the following are a few tangibles mandated in the XIth Plan:

1: National Institute of Universal Design (under the Ministry of Urban Development)
2: National Captioning Centre (under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting)
3: Sign Language Research and Training Centre (under the Ministry of Human Resource Development)
4: One residential special school upto 12th grade for the deaf in every State and one Degree College for the deaf in every zone (also under the Ministry of Human Resource Development)

Sir, the disability sector strongly feels these should be included in the upcoming Union Budget. We urge upon you to please consider this issue with the seriousness it deserves. We understand that these are busy times for you, but we would be very grateful if you could please give a few minutes of your precious time so that a delegation of senior disability leaders can call upon you, in order to discuss this further.

Looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Javed Abidi
Honorary Director, N.C.P.E.D.P.

Shri Pranab Mukherjee,
Hon'ble Finance Minister
Room No. 132 C
North Block
New Delhi - 110 001

Letter to Prime Minister from Javed Abidi, on 15^th January 2010

NC/10-11/ BUDGET,
15th January, 2010

Dear Sir,
You may recall that I, along with a delegation of disabled rights activists from across the country had a meeting with you at your residence last year regarding the non-implementation of the XIth Five Year Plan and our disappointment with the last Union Budget.

Sir, in a matter of a few weeks, the Union Budget for the year 2010-11 will be presented to the Nation. Historically, the issues concerning 70 million disabled people have always been pushed to the sidelines. However, the disability sector has been touched by the concern that you and Smt. Sonia Gandhi have shown towards disability. And it is with this faith that we are writing to you to request you to please ensure that disability is given its due in the upcoming Budget.

Sir, as you are aware, the XIth Five Year Plan has an entire chapter on disability issues. A copy is enclosed for your ready reference.

Besides many other things, the following are a few tangibles mandated in the XIth Plan:

1: National Institute of Universal Design (under the Ministry of Urban Development)
2: National Captioning Centre (under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting)
3: Sign Language Research and Training Centre (under the Ministry of Human Resource Development)
4: One residential special school upto 12th grade for the deaf in every State and one Degree College for the deaf in every zone (also under the Ministry of Human Resource Development)

Sir, the Plan is already halfway through and none of these promises have been implemented.

We urge upon you to please ensure that these are included in the upcoming Union Budget.

Looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Javed Abidi
Honorary Director, N.C.P.E.D.P.

Dr. Manmohan Singh
Hon'ble Prime Minister of India
Room No: 148
South Block
New Delhi - 110 001

From Javed Abidi, on National Disability Day 2008

Dear Friends,

Another world disability day comes around the corner and with it an opportunity to come together and celebrate. I am sure all of you have a number of events planned and are busy with everything that will enable you to gear up for the big day. But the question is - do we have anything to celebrate this year or is it just symbolic. We know that last year December 3rd merited celebration for the historic Convention and the XIth Five year plan.

However, a year and some has gone by and what do we see around us? Let us look into ourselves and around us to see if we made good in this tryst with history of the disability movement. It is now a year since the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability has been ratified by India. It is more than a year since the XIth Five Year Plan (which has some very important mandates with respect to disability) has been passed. But NO steps have been taken by the Government to implement them!

How long before the system wakes up and understands that the Convention and the XIth Plan are not mere documents but policies that need to be adhered to. A year is a long enough time to wait and watch and hope. The XIth plan was prepared under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister and bears his signature, his stamp of approval. It passed muster with the powers that be, yet nothing has been done. NOTHING!!! Yet we celebrate..

I urge all of you to join us in a peaceful dharna to raise three very basic demands; the first two are enshrined in the XIth Plan
- Each Ministry to have a clear cut plan on disability
- Each Ministry to allocate 3% resources on disability issues as mandated in the XIth plan
- Government to set up a separate Ministry for Disability

A good number of disability activists are joining hands with us. These are basic but crucial issues which affects a huge population of this country. The dharna will be held at India Gate on the 3rd of December and will begin at 3:00 p.m. We will come prepared to stay the night and continue the vigil for as long as it takes for the sector to get noticed and the demands met. It will be a cold winter night but we are determined and will sit it out.

For those of you who have access to the internet, I have a short message which I request you to see and disseminate as widely as possible. Please click on the links given below,
Part 1 : http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=xrAWtvQfv_sIn
Part 2 : http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=_ldg0Vkz5X8

I feel very strongly that each one of us who believe in the cause should take ownership and be there at India Gate in large numbers to ensure victory for the sector. As you are aware, numbers are very important for any movement. Politicians understand that language. We need to show that we (disabled people, their families, friends, relatives, well wishers, colleagues, classmates, teachers, neighbours) form a sizeable chunk of the population of this country.

Friends, let us not allow any limitation come our way. Let us make the effort. It is an important time in the history of the disability rights movement. We have come this far and we need to MARCH ON. We cannot allow what is rightfully ours to wither away, to gather dust, to remain merely on paper. Inclusive development / Equality is only possible only when each Ministry will own up to its responsibility towards the disability movement. These are very achievable goals; it only requires a little pressure. ARE YOU UP TO IT?

Time is short. But lets do it! Let us take ownership and demonstrate our beliefs, our faith and our passion by being there with our family & friends on 3rd December at India Gate!

- Javed Abidi

Note: Please feel free to revert if you require any further clarifications.
Rama - 09880583277 or 080-23217588
Muthamma - 09342669771 or 080-40959544

Javed Abidi - Head
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People-NCPEDP

Rama Chari
E-Mail: rama7chari@yahoo.com; rama_c@deoc.in

Hi, I'm John C. McGinley. I'm an ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society, and today I'm teaming up with Special Olympics to bring you a message that's important to me. So many times in life you are asked to change...
Change your clothes. Change lanes. Change jobs. Change the sheets. Change flights. Change your tune. Change horses midstream. Change your latitudes and your attitudes!

Change, and the ability to adapt, is to the human condition as air is to the lungs. We change, and in the doing, we thrive! In fact, we just elected a president who promised, above all else, to "change." What if, on March 31, you elected to change the way you use the words "retard" and "retarded"? Hardly seems like the largest of sacrifices. Not when you consider the changes in language that you have, so willingly, already elected to integrate into your vernacular. You no longer use the words nigger, or kike, or faggot, or jap, or kraut, or mick, or wop.

Why would you? Why on earth would you? Those are all words that hurt. Those are all racial and ethnic slurs and epithets that perpetuate negative stigmas. They are painful! And that is not okay. It is wrong to pain people with your language. Especially, when you have already been made aware of your oral transgression's impact. Make no mistake about it: WORDS DO HURT! And when you pepper your speak with "retard" and "retarded," you are spreading hurt. So stop it. Stop saying "retard" and "retarded." Those words suck! You are better than that and you definitely do not need to be "that guy."

There is no longer any acceptable occasion to lace your dialogue with the words "retard" and "retarded." Without fail, those words are the stuff of hurt. They, straight up, are. So, stop it! Stop using the "R-word."

The 7 million people with intellectual disabilities (around the planet) who are on the receiving end of this hate speak are genetically designed to love unconditionally. These "retards" are NEVER going to return your vitriol. Ever! So what could possibly be the up-side of continuing to use the "R-word" in your daily discourse?

We love you. We do!

And, just in case you missed it and you need an extra hug? We love you!

You do not need to love us in any kind of reciprocal fashion. You don't. (It's not that kind of bargain.)

But, how about on March 31, you elect to change? A word? Two stinkin' syllables?

On March 31, join us and "Spread the Word to End the Word." And the word is "retard!" It HURTS! So help us to cut it out.

Thank you! We do love you!

John C. McGinley

Learn more about Spread the Word to End the Word
Take the pledge to stop using the R-word
John C. McGinley on "The Bonnie Hunt Show"