Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 3: On World Disability Day, scores of handicapped persons staged a protest here in Lal Chowk area in favour of their series of demands and slammed Government for allegedly ignoring their plight.
The physically challenged persons under the banner of J&K Ittihad Handicapped Welfare Association assembled in Press Enclave here and shouted slogans. They said due to conflict in Kashmir, the number of disabled is increasing and there has been more rise since July 8 when unrest started in the Valley.
The handicapped persons said they are observing the Disability Day as ‘Black day’ against alleged Government apathy. “Today, the Government officers are marking our day with some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) but the real stakeholders have been left un-attended and our plight is going unheard,” the physically challenged protesters said.
On the occasion, the disabled persons presented series of demands before Government. Their demands included 10 percent reservation in Government jobs, 50 percent concession in electric charges, free water connections, reservation in Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Municipal and Panchayats on the analogy of Gujjar and Bakerwals.
As the protest grew stronger, police swung into action and detained the handicapped persons. The physically challenged were later shifted to a local police station wherefrom they were let off later.
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