Expedite disabled rights bill's passage, activists urge Sonia

A delegation of disabled activists met Congress president Sonia Gandhi here Thursday seeking support for early passage of the disability rights bill in parliament.

The eight-member panel of activists from Disabled Rights Group and National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled complained to Gandhi that though the law's drafting process began four years ago, it is yet to be introduced in parliament.

"Sonia Gandhi assured us of her party's full support in ensuring the passage of the bill," said a statement by the delegation.

The Congress president promised to take up the matter with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath to prioritise the bill in the agenda when parliament meets next month, it added.

The activists have already met Vice President Hamid Ansari, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley.

"All the leaders have assured their support for the speedy enactment of the disability rights legislation," the statement said.