SLAD Organises Peace Morcha at Azad Maidan in Mumbai
State Level Association of the Deaf (SLAD) has planned a peaceful march in Mumbai on 25th August 2023. Watch our latest video to learn all about their demands.
This is State Level Association of the Deaf (SLAD) which advocates its support and demands accessibility and other rights for the Deaf Community. The focus on Deaf right in Maharashtra. You are aware that on 25th August 2023, SLAD has planned a protest in Mumbai. What is the protest about? It is a peaceful protest march to put across the demands of the Deaf community. Earlier ISH News had interviewed these SLAD leaders. You can have a look at the previous videos and the protest now is related to it. Earlier the government had promised to fulfil the demands, however, nothing was ever done. Hence SLAD is not going to quite as these demands are for the benefit of the Deaf community.
SLAD have put across 7 demands that are necessary for the Deaf community. Here are the 7 demands.
1. Various government jobs vacancies available in Maharashtra are advertised in the newspapers. Under the 3% disability reservation, vacancies for Deaf are advertised, however, these are higher education jobs like graduates, B.E etc. But the Deaf education system in Maharashtra is very poor and most of the Deaf are only SSC or HSC passed. There are hardly any highly educated Deaf. A high percentage of Deaf are not very well educated. The government must change its policy. Government must change its policy and make job vacancies suitable to the Deaf who are not highly educated as currently there are no colleges for them. This is the demand.
2. Maharashtra government has already passed a GR in 2007, however, they neither implemented it nor announced it. Shocking! The person who found the GR is Shaikh Mujahed from Parbhani. He is Deaf and this is his sign name. He brought this GR to the notice of the SLAD members who were shcoked reading it. It was related to the jobs for the Deaf in Maharashtra government. For example: When applications for a post are received from Deaf candidates, their audiogram too is attached,
which may vary from 40-50% to 100% profound Deaf. During selection priority must be given in descending order starting from profound Deaf who have 100%, 90%, 80% hearing loss. Deaf with 70%, 60% 40% deafness should be kept lower in the priority list. Priority should be Deaf with higher hearing loss. This was mentioned in the 2007 GR but was never implemented. Then why have so many people with mild hearing loss or hard of hearing selected for government jobs? The demand is to change this.
3. When government of Maharashtra announce job vacancies for the Deaf, these include Group A job which are higher officer level jobs. Then is Group B which are different, then is Group C which include clerical posts and then there is Group D which include the peon level jobs. These are 4 different categories and written exams including GK are held for selection in all the groups. SLAD demands that selection procedure should be separate. While there should be examination for selection in Group A and B officer posts, there should not be a written exam for Group C and D posts. Selection should be based only on an interview. This is because similar rule has been passed in Madhya Pradesh and SLAD wants the Maharashtra government to implement the same.
4. The next demand is about accessibility. All the helplines used for helping people in distress are not accessible to the Deaf. SLAD demands that Maharashtra government ask AYJNISHD which trains interpreters in RCI certified Diploma in ISL interpretation course to provide these trained interpreters to answer helpline calls made by the Deaf through Video Remote Services. These can be for emergency services like police, court, fire brigade etc. SLAD demands accessibility!
5. This is the next demand. All those who have been selected in Maharashtra government jobs from 1995 upto 2023 should be tested again. This is because till date many have been selected by showing fake disability certificates Deaf have been suffering because of these fake certificate holders. Hence all disability certificates should be re-assessed and those found fake, should be punished. SLAD demands that the vacancies available after dismissing people with fake certificates, should be filled up with suitable Deaf.
6. This is the next demand. In Maharashtra there are a lot of residential Deaf schools which have separate accommodation for boys and girls. There are hostel wardens as well. Male wardens should not be employed for girls hostel as the girls would feel unsafe due to molestation, sexual assault etc. SLAD demands that the male wardens of girls hostels to be removed and replaced with female wardens. They demanded male teachers in girls school be replaced by female teachers as there is a possibility of male teachers exploiting the female students.
7. This is the seventh demand. Section 66 of the RPWD Act 2016 states that all government committees should have representation by person with disability including blind, locomotor disability and Deaf. Till date no one had been selected. Finally, 3 years back Mr Manoj Patwari and Mr Aniket Selgoankar were selected on the advisory board. However, after the change in the Maharashtra government, new members where selected by the government. SLAD demands to reinstate both the Deaf leaders in the advisory board.
These are the 7 demands for which SLAD has planned a peaceful march in Mumbai on 25th August 2023.
