By: Gautami
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Branch of ‘National Federation of the Blind’ (NFB) organised a function on White Cane Day at YMCA Shimla on October 14. V S Kokje, Governor of Himachal Pradesh was the chief guest and Ashwini Kumar, Director General of Police, presided over the function. The Governor, in his address, said that the organisations working for the disabled were not trade unions, hence, they should avoid the path of agitation to raise their demands. He suggested that the dialogue with the government is the only way to solve the problems of the disabled.
Jage Ram, North Zone Coordinator of NFB raised the demands of the blinds of HP and requested the Governor to use his good offices in solving their problems. He also warned the authorities that if their demands were not fulfilled by coming October 28, they would state a dharna in front of Himachal Secretariat at Shimla. Ajai Srivastava, Chairman, Society for Disability and Studies, HP Chapter regretted that the government was not sincere in implementing the disability acts in the state. According to him, the insensitive bureaucracy was creating hurdles in implementation of the law. He assured the blind, that his organisation would continue its fight against injustice to the disabled in general and the blind in particular.
Ashwini Kumar, DGP also assured the members of NFB and the other disabled that he along with his wife would always support the cause. Domashwar Kumar and Mukesh Kumar, President and General Secretary of NFB, HP branch also spoke on the occasion. The blind children of Dhalli school presented a colourful cultural program during the function.
