Disability rights associations have raised concerns about a recent circular from the Commissionerate for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities asking all persons from NGOs working with persons with disabilities, to get a police verification certificate.
The circular, issued on January 13, states that all employees of NGOs engaged in working with persons with disabilities across fields such as education, protection and training and rehabilitation should procure a police verification certificate stating that there are no cases against them. The original certificate should then be submitted to the organisation they are working with, and a copy should be handed over to the district differently abled welfare officer.
The Confederation of Associations for persons with mental disabilities in a statement has asked the State government to withdraw this circular.“Around 300 Special Establishments have been functioning for the past twenty years with financial support and full Government recognition. Some of our members have been serving the most marginalized of all the differently abled for four decades,” M. Ravichandran, General Secretary of the association said in a statement.He further said that while the Confederation demanded stringent action against any employee of a special school or facility who has indulged in unlawful activity, it is humiliating to paint the whole community of service providers as downright criminals or suspects.
The Confederation has further highlighted that several organizations have been rendering service against heavy odds, and are enabling countless families earn their livelihood by taking care of their children requiring high emotional and basic life help supportThe Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) too, in a statement, appealed to the government to rollback this circular. “While the government can insist on organisations as a whole to undergo such a verification, it is not feasible for all employees to procure a verification certificate. This order makes it seem like all employees have a criminal background,” said S. Namburajan, State General Secretary, TARATDAC.
