Nearly 50 disabled people coming from across the State, while interacting with leaders of various political parties here on Tuesday, expressed their dissatisfaction over the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the mainstream political parties for their lack of adequate seriousness to allow them to exercise their franchise in a dignified and accessible manner and also to ensure their participation in elections.
“Political right is not being extended to PWDs (persons with disabilities). They have never been seen as a collective group but merely as individuals suffering impairments. The political parties must include our demands in their party manifestos and also to make elections accessible to us, besides giving us tickets for contesting elections,” said Swabhiman chief executive Dr Sruti Mohapatra.
The Swabhiman organsied the interface in which BJD MlA Amar Prasad Satpathy, Nishikant Mohapatra of the Aam Aadmi Party, Mihir Mohanty of the Odisha Jan Morcha, Pravati Parida of the BJP, Suresh Panigrahi of the CPI(M) shared their views with the disabled people.
A 15-point charter of demands was also presented to the political leaders for their active consideration. “Our party is committed to ensure basic rights to PWDs and also their political participation,” said BJD MlA Amar Satpathy.