Question

‘Disabled-unfriendly’ Courts Describing the non-consideration of handicapped persons for the post of Judge as an “exclusive” policy of the higher judiciary, a senior jurist says by continuing to ignore the handicapped, the judiciary is violating a statutory mandate. “The High Court building itself is far from disabled-friendly.” The Hindu Wednesday 2 August 2006.

“The disabled are rendered disabled not because they are biologically disabled but because society renders them so.” Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons.

Answer 1

Yes, I agree with the statement.

• In a culture that looks up to bodily ‘perfection’, all deviations from the ‘perfect body’ signify abnormality, defect and distortion.
• The common perception views disability as retribution for past karma (actions) from which there can be no reprieve. The dominant cultural construction in India therefore looks at disability as essentially a characteristic of the individual.