PANJIM: The Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) has filed a complaint of exploitation and humiliation of a person with intellectual disability with the Chief Election Officer (CERO) and the Superintendent of Police, South Goa, after a video on social media showing a person with intellectual disability waiving a flag of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on top of a vehicle carrying a hoarding of the Vasco Congress candidate went viral.
In a letter to the CEO and the SP South, the DRAG President Avelino De Sa stated, “A viral video on social media where a person with intellectual disability waiving a BJP flag is put atop a vehicle of the Congress Party candidate thereby attempting to create a law and order situation in Vasco. This amounts to exploitation and humiliation of a person with disability which is a punishable offence under Section 7 and 92 of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016 and the Model Election Code of Conduct.”
De Sa has urged them to take action against the concerned persons at the earliest and has also demanded action against the driver of vehicle under the Motor Vehicle Act for endangering the life of person with disability for putting the person with intellectual disability on a moving vehicle without adult supervision.
De Sa has also condemned the circulation of video on social media by the general public and requested them to be more sensitive to persons with disability and respect their dignity.
The DRAG president has informed that persons with disability can avail transport facility and priority in voting on the polling day. They will have to contact their respective Block Level Officers (BLOs) to avail the facility.
Meanwhile, the DRAG has launched Election Helplines 9284533168/9422443093 where persons with disability can contact in case of any difficulty on polling day.
