PA Sangma draws flak from Tamil Nadu rights group over president remark

Chennai: Taking objection to the comments made by Opposition-backed Presidential candidate PA Sangma on the suitability of a person for the top position, a disability rights group on Saturday demanded that he withdraw his remarks.

"We immediately demand rollback of the words and stand of PA Sangma denigrating the capabilities of disabled people and not accepting disability as part of diversity," Federation of Tamil Nadu Physically Handicapped Associations said in a statement in Chennai.

Mr Sangma had on July 6 said, "India should have a President, who is not blind, dumb and deaf. India should have a thinking and a functional President," when asked about his views on the top post.

"It is very unfortunate that a statesman of Sangma's stature pitching himself as a candidate of the tribal community, a vulnerable section of the Indian society, making an adverse remark on the capabilities of the disabled people, thereby advocating the incapability of disabled people alone," the Association said.

It also warned of strong protest during his visit to the state if he failed to withdraw the "discriminatory words."

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National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled in Delhi also had raised objection to Mr Sangma's comments and said, "it reflects very poorly on a candidate aspiring to the topmost office of the country."

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