The government has disappointed them once again. The disabled have found no space or mention in the government's historic Right to Education Bill.
Says Radhika, executive, Aadi, NGO for the differently abled: ''In the new bill there's nothing for the disabled. The bill doesn't even look at autism.''
The Rajya Sabha has already passed the new bill. A team of activists met the HRD Minister early on Friday morning urging that the bill be presented at a later date in the Lok Sabha. Once it's passed on Monday, it will becomes law.
They want the government to delay and add provisions that will ensure inclusive education to the 20 million disabled children of the country.
But says Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal: ''I'm sorry, the bill won't be delayed.''
"This is the saddest day of my life,'' commented Javed Abidi, disabled rights activist.
The Ministry said their recommendations should have come in at the stage when the bill was being drafted.
The activists say the ministry never consulted them on the issue.
Discussion at this time, the government says, would delay the bill further and a lot of children would be denied of opportunities it brings. The activists say wait and make it more inclusive.
''I want to ask the government, do we have a right to live. If we do, we should also have all other rights,'' says parent of a disabled child.
A gap in an otherwise progressive legislation. Will it be rectified?
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