I am here, in front of you because I spent most of my life as an AAC user and during that time I attended many international conferences. I won the Words-Plus outstanding lecture award during ISAAC conference held in Natal Brazil. Even though I can speak at this point of my life still times come when I get stuck and I take help of assistive technology for that stagnation..
To me, be an Indian is one of the many things for which I am proud of. As India is the largest democracy in the world, we have the freedom to choose our representative, who would speak for us. But there are some basic problems for people with disabilities to cast their vote by which they would be able to choose their representative.
When I get to speak about civil and political rights for persons with disabilities, I get amazed to think that this small minority community was never got counted in census, a very important phenomenon in our country. Persons with disabilities were counted in 1931, and after that in 2001. Though we, the person with disabilities were counted in 2001 but there was a huge discrepancy in that data. It is quite impractical to think that only 2½ percent of total population is challenged!! The problem with these kinds of data is, if the person with disabilities are not being counted with some accuracy how can we expect to get the basic human rights, which are needed to lead a respectful life? And when we are denied of the most important right i.e. “the right to be the citizenship”, we just cannot expect to have an individual and independent identity!!
In our country very often we see a closely contested election. In spite of using electronic voting machines, we find many times the candidates request for recounting and often win.. Currently, we can take the example of our Home Minister who was elected in the Lok Sabha after recounting. When we the Indians have such strong likes and dislikes, why do the disabled population should be left outside of this process?
Do the authorities think that we the person with disabilities should not be trusted with the ballots! Or do they have some other interest that we do not know; of do they think that we are simply dumps!!!
We understand that infrastructure is one of the reasons why we face some difficulties to cast our vote. And also owing to a few rules of Election Commission: (mainly where they have divided booths according to part numbers), people with disabilities face problem. But how long do we have to wait?
If we think realistically the architectural modification cannot be done over night. If that is so do the authorities expect that we are not going to cast our vote and wait till the time when these modifications are made? This is absurd.
In any case I am not saying, changing the architectural barrier is not possible but it would take some time. Instead what I would like to emphasize is, while these architectural modifications are being made we must have the opportunity to vote, which is one of the most important rights for anyone who lives in a democracy. Many of my friends had experienced problem as they went to vote. The polling booths were not accessible, hence they could not vote.
If I have to make a suggestion on this issue, I would request the commission to think of making one room in every polling station accessible or wheelchair friendly. Keep a special EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) which would cater the needs of all spectrum of challenged people. This facility would not only help the people with disabilities but it would also help the elderly persons who suffer from geriatrics problems.
I believe there is a huge debate going on around the country about who can vote and who cannot. There are many other debates, which are talking about can and connotes but right to vote is something which is very different that those other debates.
Finally I would like to mention in my early years as an AAC user when I went to cast my vote, I had to depend on someone whom I could trust with my heart and soul. People often asked me that why do I feel it so important to vote? My simple answer would be, IT IS MY CHOICE and MY RIGHT. I faced many problems to vote during that time, but when people saw that I was very serious about casting my vote regularly, they realized that I could not be de-motivated from voting. I used to suggest my trusted person to let others take me to the polling area so that they can also realize our problems deeply and honestly.
My earnest request to Election Commission and Government of India is to implement the Supreme Court order of 2004 which will ensure the most important right as Citizen of India.
