Letters to the Editor: Relief for disabled employees

As only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches, so only the disabled employee can understand the importance of the Supreme Court judgement for disabled employees who are facing various problems during their employment. Others do not know the meaning of percentage of disability under clause of 'reasonable accommodation'. I am a disability activist and raise the issues of disabled persons whenever and wherever required. Legitimate rights of disabled persons are infringed both during employment and after retirement. This judgement of the Supreme Court can mitigate the sufferings of disabled persons. The Supreme Court has observed that a person with a disability is entitled to protection under the RPwD Act as long as the disability was one of factors for the disciplinary act and the mental disability of a person need not be the sole cause of the misconduct that led to the initiation of the disciplinary proceedings. The mental disability impairs the ability of persons to comply with workplace standards in comparison to their able-bodied counterparts. Such persons suffer a disproportionate disadvantage due to the impairment and are more likely to be subjected to disciplinary proceedings and the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against persons with mental disabilities is a facet of indirect discrimination. It is a well-known fact that disabled employees choose to take premature retirement due to the insensitive attitude by able-bodied persons. I hereby narrate my own case in brief. I am suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, a neurological disease, for the last 24 years and due to this disease I had to take premature retirement in 2006 from the bank where I worked. I have not visited the bank even once during the last fifteen years. Now, in addition to my case, I quote a court case decided by the Gujarat High Court. An employee who was working as sweeper had taken premature retirement due to total incapacitation after completion of 30 years, but was denied legitimate rights. The court commented that, "Employees could had managed to continue in the service till the date of superannuation but their honesty had not been rewarded. The honesty, sincerity, fairness, hard work and consciousness about the duties are not being rewarded in the country and that may be one of the reasons of the growing graph of dishonesty amongst the employees/officers in many spheres."

On the basis of what is stated above, we can say that disabled persons are a harried lot and have to face problems at every stage of life.

Yash Pal Ralhan,

Jalandhar – 144003.

The Kashmir Files

The ongoing controversy revolving around the film 'The Kashmir Files' brings back an ugly truth in the limelight. The film encapsulates the excruciating ordeal of Kashmiri Pandits, which resulted in the exodus of more than 5 lakh Kashmiri Pandits. The film sheds light on the prevailing circumstances under which this anti-Hindu campaign was carried out. It all began when on the dreadfully deadly night of January 19-20 January. Kashmiri Pandits were given three choices: abdicate Hinduism and embrace Islam, or abandon Kashmir, or get killed. There has been a yawning gap of 32 years and yet the Kashmiri Pandits are deprived of their native place. The movie is so emotive and painful that many people could not refrain from crying in the theatre. Movies fall under the ambit of freedom of expression, if people do not want to watch a movie, then they are free to avoid it. People even have the entitlement to oppose it, but peacefully. However, the movie is running successfully in cinemas on the heels of positive word-of-mouth publicity. Even Prime Minister Modi is heaping praises on the movie and its team for summoning up the courage to represent the ugly truth.

Rahul Chouhan,

Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

World Sleep Day

One of the most important activities in our life is sleep. Sleep is one of the three pillars of a healthy lifestyle, along with good nutrition and regular exercise. Getting sufficient sleep on a regular basis can improve physical and mental health, enhance performance and promote safety. Sleep is such an important part of life that it even has its own special day. World Sleep Day is an annual event that draws attention to the burden of sleep problems and the day is usually celebrated on the third Friday of March.

Sleep Day is observed with the objective to minimize the burden of the problems related to sleep on society through better prevention and management of sleep disorders. Sleep is an essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you feeling refreshed when you wake up, and a basic human need crucial to our overall health and well-being. Nowadays, many people do not get enough sleep at night, mostly because of so many terrible habits. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects as many as 35% of adults. Researchers believe that some individuals are more vulnerable to stress-induced sleeping problems. For most people, achieving quality sleep is still out of reach; the use of laptops, tablets, and smartphones continues to be the biggest deterrent in sleeping on time. Insufficient sleep can affect your hormones, brain function, immune system, and psychological health and can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, and diabetes. Sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on emotional, physical health, too. Ensuring quality sleep is an integral part of holistic well-being. (In connection with World Sleep Day on 18 March)

Krishna Kumar Vepakomma,

Hyderabad - 500045.