By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, DEC 1: Over 40, 000 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) on Thursday threatened to boycott the upcoming 2018 state assembly elections to protest against the state government’s failure to implement the PWD Act, 1995 in letter and spirit.
They are also planning to file Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Meghalaya High Court for its intervention if the state government fails to take steps to ensure their rights.
The decision was taken at a six-hour sit-in-demonstration sponsored by the Khasi Disabilities Association (KDA) at the parking lot near Additional Secretariat on Thursday.
Over 300 PWDs coming from the six districts of Khasi and Jaintia hills took part in the sit in protest, which was organized after the state government failed to fulfill its promises made two years ago.
A 108 ambulance was also immediately called by the magistrate and police present at the protest venue when one of the PWD protestors fell unconscious.
Implementation of the 3 per cent of the job reservation policy for PWDs was one of their main demands since 2011, when they first took out a surprise march to the main secretariat.
Speaking to reporters, KDA president Starwin Kharjana said that an 11 point demand was also submitted to the chief minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday for the government’s immediate and necessary intervention.
“If the state government shows lack of will to address the issues as per the Act 1995, we would be compelled to file a PIL before the High Court,” Kharjana said while informing that the PIL will be filed after another round of sit-in-protest to be held in January next year.
When asked, the KDA president also said, “It would also be in the fitness of things for us not to participate (boycott) in the election process in the upcoming 2018 state elections.”
He felt this will be the decision of all the PWDs, around 40, 000 in the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo hills of the state if nobody pays heed to their demands.
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