Mumbai:
ADAPT or Able Disable All People Together (formerly known as the Spastics Society of India) Rights Group announced its political charter on March 21.
The political charter will have five priorities that the group will be pushing onto the country's agenda which includes the right to education, the right to vote, the right to suitable health services, the right to non-discriminatory employment and the right to an accessible environment.
The political charter was announced during an event organised to celebrate diversity.
"We are hundred million strong and we will be heard," said ADAPT Rights Group head Malini Chib, who is also the author of the book 'One Little Finger'.
ADAPT founder Dr Mithu Alur said, "It is our deepest hope that politicians will hear the voices and concerns of India's disabled people, we have the votes to sway any election."
Meanwhile, the event saw performances from the band Medusaaz, violinist Sunita Bhuyan and a special inclusive show by Raell Padamse's Create Foundation in association with ADAPT. The one line from the act that summed up the message of the work that ADAPT has been doing to bring about inclusion of the disabled is 'Everyone has magic and all magic has place in this world'.
Raell Padamse said, "I find the team of ADAPT remarkable. I have been around so many schools but I have never seen staff like this."
ADAPT founder Dr Mithu Alur said, "Inclusion is about celebrating diversity and it is very important for teacher and principals of schools to realise the values children learn from interacting with people who are different from them. These values are not found in text books."
Actors Diya Mirza and Tanuja were also present at the event. "No society can possibly be healthy if it does not believe in being inclusive," said Ms Mirza.