It is my life’s longstanding mission to make India mindful of equal rights… and less oblivious towards the specially-abled. Hence, I went to court to fight this case. India is one of the few countries in the world completely insensitive to accessibility and equal rights. People with special needs either don’t go out much, or then migrate to more considerate countries where equal rights is a mandate. Hence, I decided to do something about this malaise rather than feel frustrated.
Mission possible
• To create change and bring about metamorphosis with mindsets; create ramps in public spaces; have accessible transport at railway stations for wheelchair passengers who cannot get intocompartments, train toilets, or even just move in train corridors and airports.
• To have aerobridges at aircraft points, to broaden narrow doors to incorporate entry of wheelchairs and entry into restrooms which have entryways below 25 inches. These narrow entries do not allow wheelchair entry.
I have filed a PIL where my attempt is to push for equal rights public accessible restrooms, special handicap parking, accessibility at entertainment spaces (cinemas, restaurants, hotels), accessible transport including trains, buses and even cabs, accessible sidewalks, wheelchair parking.
I wish to amend policy to enforce the right to equality for the specially-abled, and I am working with government — lobbying to change legislation and make wheelchair accessibility in public spaces mandatory all over India, even in villages — so that all new construction and infrastructure incorporates accessibility ramps, handicap parking, wider entries and doors as a norm… rather than people fighting for these basics.
Concern lacking
The root of the problem lies much deeper, in a lack of concern and compassion for equality for fellow human beings. This insensitivity towards the differently-abled is just one very apparent facet of the deeper social malaise. Especially in India and other less developed countries, it is every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost. If we need to be viewed as a global destination, we need to have mandatory accessibility. Even tourists avoid India because of the total neglect to right to equality for the specially-abled. Is it not just the most basic requirement to have wheelchair accessible restrooms?
We are said to be the fastest growing economy after China, becoming a world class super power, an important nation with a place soon on the United Nations Security Council, but I have to say that we have no concept or understanding about being a sensitive, caring nation which believes in enforcing the right to equality for the specially-abled.
Take a bow Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Hrithik Roshan, Tanvir Singh, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Naman Nitin Mukesh and PM Narendra Modi for bringing attention to the cause of wheelchairs. Our Honourable PM has declared it his mandate.
Nisha Jamvwal, luxury consultant and equal rights activist, is battling for the right to equality for the specially-abled
(Co-ordinated by Reshma Parekh)
