Disabled people hold protest in TN demanding hike in disability assistance

COIMBATORE/SALEM: The Coimbatore city police on Tuesday detained around 55 disabled people when they staged a road roko protest near the district collectorate demanding a hike in disability assistance.The protest was conducted by members of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of all types of Differently Abled and Caregivers Association (TARATDAC). The protesters pointed out that the assistance they received from the Tamil Nadu govt was not sufficient to fulfil basic needs.TARATDAC district convenor K Mahalingam said, “In Andhra Pradesh, the assistance is Rs 6,000 per month to persons with disability; Rs 10,000 per month to persons with severe disability; and Rs 15,000 per month to persons with severe disability with the need for heightened support. The disability assistance in Puducherry is between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,800; it is Rs 3,500 in Haryana and Rs 4,016 in Telangana. However, it was lowest in Tamil Nadu -- Rs 1,500 for persons with less than 75% disability and Rs 2,000 for those above 75% disability.”The protesters demanded that the govt hike the assistance immediately. Police detained the protesters in a marriage hall and released them later.300 disabled people detained in SalemThe Salem city police on Tuesday detained more than 300 disabled people when their protest demanding a hike in the disability assistance caused a traffic block on the main road to the district collectorate. The protest affected traffic for an hour. Police removed the protesters and detained them in a private marriage hall. Later, they were released.