While the Odisha Government is considering the Braille literates as illiterate when rejecting the nomination paper written in Braille script of an educated blind person during the last panchayat polls, the Vice-President of India treated a grievance petition written in Braille script as official communication and instructed the concerned authorities for appropriate action recently.
Prafulla Gauda, who had submitted his nomination papers written in Braille script, was out rightly rejected by the Ganjam district Collector by declaring him illiterate in 2012. He was contesting for the post of sarpanch.
On the other hand, the petition of blind graduate Arjun Swain of Chennua village of Nimapara block which was written in Braille script to Vice-President Hamid Ansari was treated as official communication.
Both Arjun Swain and his wife Rebati are blind persons and there is no other person in their family to write a letter in print format. Swain petitioned the VC about massive irregularities at the Odisha Association for the Blind, Bhubaneswar.
Meanwhile, the Under Secretary of Vice-President Secretariat Hurbi Shakeel has forwarded the grievance petition to Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment asking for necessary action.
“At a time when the Vice-President of India can acknowledge Braille scripted letter then why it should not be treated as official language across the country,” asked disability rights activist Sanyas Behera.