With the fourth phase of Lok Sabha slated to held on April 29, in which six Lok Sabha constituencies of Mumbai will go for polls. As Mumbaikars decide whom they will vote for, hundreds of physically and mentally disabled people in the city have already made up their mind which button they will press on the EVM. The disabled people from Mumbai have decided to press NOTA (None of the Above) as they are disappointed with unfulfilled promises of the government and left out of election manifestos.
According to the Indian Express, Divyang Sena, an organisation working for the disabled in state and influenced by the Left ideology, said both the BJP and Congress talk about welfare and uplift of disabled in the country. But both the parties have mentioned nothing for disabled in their manifestos. Rashmi Kadam, president of Divyang Sena’s Mumbai unit told the leading daily, “We are disappointed. Only Communist Party of India(M) has promised to address the issues pertaining to the disabled in their manifestos.”
We had met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and discussed issues of disabled and he had promised to take up issues, such as jobs for disabled, pension scheme and empowerment by providing stalls. But no concrete steps have been taken… Following this, we have decided to press NOTA (on EVMs) this election. We have appealed all our members not to vote any political parties,” Rashmi Kadam told the Indian Express. The BMC’s data show that four percent of Mumbai’s population comprises mentally, physically and visually challenged.
