Ahead of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, persons with disabilities (PwDs) and their representative organisations have called on political parties to shift focus from welfare-based assurances to concrete, rights-based policy action. The demand emerged from a state-level consultation held in Guwahati under the nationwide Mera Vote Mera Bharat campaign.
The consultation brought together over 130 participants, including PwDs, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), civil society members and industry representatives. Participants highlighted persistent barriers faced by the disabled community in political participation, accessibility, education, healthcare and employment.
Speakers at the event said disability issues in Assam are often treated through a charity or welfare lens rather than as matters of rights and governance. They stressed the need for structural reforms and accountability mechanisms to ensure meaningful inclusion.
A Charter of Demands prepared at the meeting calls for enhanced reservation for PwDs in government jobs and governance bodies, strict enforcement of accessibility norms in public infrastructure, improved access to quality healthcare and education, and dedicated budgetary allocations. The groups urged political parties to incorporate these commitments into their election manifestos.
The consultation concluded with participants resolving to engage with major political stakeholders ahead of the polls, signalling a stronger push by the disability rights movement in Assam for policy-driven change rather than symbolic welfare promises.
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