Shillong: Meghalaya’s disabled community is fighting back. The state unit of the Association for Empowerment of Divyangjan (AED) claimed on Wednesday that the government is running a systematic lockout against persons with disabilities. This comes nearly eight years after the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act became law.
AED president Jitendra Dkhar met with State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Lyngkor Kynjing to submit a formal memorandum. Dkhar hit out at official RTI responses claiming zero backlog vacancies. He labeled these figures statistical window-dressing, arguing the state failed to calculate backlogs per 2016 Act requirements and Supreme Court rulings. He warned that the current recruitment process is rigged.
Qualified applicants face massive hurdles. Government job portals lack screen-reader compatibility and sign language support, effectively shutting out the visually impaired. Dkhar noted, "Many qualified candidates clear written examinations on merit only to face discrimination at the interview stage."
The association demands a full audit of reservation backlogs going back to 1995. They also want strict enforcement of the four percent reservation quota and new social security schemes. Commissioner Kynjing promised to look into the complaints, but the AED has no patience for delays.
They demand the state advertise all backlog vacancies within three months. They want half of those posts filled within six months. If the government fails to act, the group plans to launch statewide protests and pursue legal action.
Comments