Denying Rights To The Differently-Abled
The India Commentary view
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By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2022-05-11 08:47:02
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The India Commentary view
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Who is a 'normal' person to fly and why are persons with special needs not 'travel-worthy'? Are there any rules or guidelines in India which specify this? Is an airline ground staff competent enough to decide who is normal enough to fly and who is not travel-worthy?
The way an Indigo staffer denied a child the right to fly at Ranchi airport just because he had special needs (which means, according to the airline staffer, he was not 'normal') shows the lack of sensitivity towards the specially-abled in India. Indigo said that what the staffer did under the circumstances was correct as the child in the wheelchair was in a "state of panic" and allowing him to board would not have been appropriate.
But the regulatory authorities have not been satisfied with its explanation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a probe. Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said that there is zero-tolerance against such behavior by airlines and he will take a personal interest in the investigation. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also said that it will take appropriate action against the airline after the probe.
While the official response is heartening, what is not, despite legislation on the subject, is the lack of urgency into making public spaces accessible to those with special needs. India started the Accessible India Campaign (AIC) in 2015 to make transport and public spaces accessible to its more than 53 lakh (as per 2011 Census) persons with movement disability. Soon afterwards, Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPDA) was enacted in 2016. But the deadline under AIC has been regularly extended and the RPDA is not being implemented with the sincerity it deserves.
Being differently-abled does not mean a person will be a prisoner at home. People with movement disability have the right to enjoy the same rights as enjoyed by other citizens with sensitivity by all towards their special needs. The government must introduce a system of penalizing those who deny differently-abled persons the rights they are entitled to. In a press release, Indigo has harped on the fact that it flies more than 75000 specially-abled every month. But it must know that that is not a big deal as it their right and Indigo's duty. But denying one such person the right to board is a big blot on the airline.
