Rights body objects Haj Guidelines for differently-abled, writes to Minority Affairs Ministry to facilitate Haj for them

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IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Dec 28: Objecting over the new Haj Guidelines (2018-22), a rights body has urged to Minority Affairs ministry to drop the provisions that bar differently-abled people from undertaking Haj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

In a letter to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the National Platform for Rights of Disabled (NPRD) said that some provisions “blatantly discriminate” against persons with disabilities but are also “in violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWDA), 2016”.

Strongly criticising the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Minority Affairs making differently-abled ineligible for Haj, NPRD said that it is discriminatary as well as objectionable as it refers to them as “crippled” and “lunatic.”

The ‘eligibility for Haj’ under the guidelines mentions that any Indian citizen who is a Muslim can apply for the pilgrimage except those “persons whose legs are amputated, who are crippled, handicapped, lunatic or otherwise physically/ mentally incapacitated”.

“These provisions virtually bar any disabled person from undertaking the Haj are in violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which has equality and non-discrimination as its guiding principle,” the letter said. It also pointed out that Saudi Arabia does not ban those with disabilities from undertaking the Haj.

Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the types of disabilities have been increased from the 7 to 21.

The newly-added types of disabilities include mental illness, autism, spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions, specific learning disabilities, multiple sclerosis, speech and language disability. Disorders such as thalassemia, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple disabilities including deaf blindness, acid attack and Parkinsons disease have also been included.

As per the guidelines those affected with polio, tuberculosis, congestive cardiac and respiratory ailment, acute coronary insufficiency, coronary thrombosis, infectious leprosy, AIDS or any other communicable disease or disability also cannnot take undertake Haj.

The 2018-22 guidelines were issued following an October 2017 report submitted by a ministry-appointed committee to review the Haj Policy 2013-17.

The said objected nomenclature “crippled” and “lunatic” used for differently-abled in the guidelines for Haj also contradicts to Central government’s vision behind replacing the terminology “viklang jan” (persons with disabilities) with “divyang jan” (persons with extraordinary abilities) for the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. In his “Mann Ki Baat” address PM Modi called to use the word “divyang” instead of viklang saying persons with disabilities have “extra power” and “divyata” (divinity).

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