Disabled want R-Day parade sign language on all Doordarshan channels

Over 300 disabled people Friday staged a protest against the information and broadcasting ministry here, demanding live telecast of the Republic Day parade via sign language interpreter on all the major channels of Doordarshan.

Taking cognizance of the issue raised by the disabled community a few weeks ago, the ministry had offered them accessible telecast on three channels -- DD Bharati, DD News and DD Urdu.

However, the community has now demanded telecast on all channels, especially on DD National and its internet version.

"This is something to be done by the government on their own. People from the disabled community are always ignored and brushed aside from the mainstream. Even the government hardly takes initiatives for the welfare of the community," said Javed Abidi, convener of the Disabled Rights Group.

He said the government does not want to understand the gravity of the issue.

Abidi said the ministry was not aware of the fact that by not making the live coverage accessible to the disabled, it was spreading a message of discrimination.

"Though the government wants to make the development process inclusive, it forgets every time to include the 18 million members of the disabled community," Abidi told IANS.

If the government does not reconsider its decision, the group said it will intensify its protest to ensure that its demand is fulfilled.