Differently-abled rehab workers go on indefinite strike over long-standing demand

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Around 300 differently-abled persons working as rehabilitation workers from across the state continued their protest against the Department of Women and Child Development, demanding empowerment of differently-abled senior citizens, permanent employment and hike in their salaries, at Freedom Park on Tuesday.

Protestors claim the demands of around 6,880 rehabilitation workers including Multipurpose Rehabilitation Workers (MRW), Village Rehabilitation Workers (VRW) and Urban Rehabilitation Workers have not been filled for the past decade.

Nagesh, who is hearing impaired and a VRW from Belagavi district, said, "Despite the change of governments for the last 16 years, our plight remains the same. "We are still hired on contractual basis, and are paid the same amount of Rs9,000 with honorarium."

These workers help other differently abled persons in their villages or taluks in reviving their lives and act as a mediator between communities and health education.

Nagesh added, "We were promised action by Laxmi Hebbalkar, the minister as soon as the government came to power last year, however, it is disheartening to see their inactivity."

Anil Hirekudi, executive member of the Nava Karnataka MRW, VRW and URW Vikalachetanara Gouravadhana Karyakartara Sangha claimed the indefinite strike also demanded that these workers be given free bus passes, Unique Disability IDs, wheelchairs and instruments that are necessary for these workers.

"None of the officials from the department has come forward and heeded to our demands so far.

"Along with regularisation of our job, we demand more workers to be hired in each of the new taluks and villages." he said. In June last year, workers protested for similar demands at Freedom Park.