All govts failed us: Differently abled rehab workers

NT Bengaluru

Those who spent their lives trying to improve the lives of senior citizens and persons with disabilities, have alleged that they’ve been betrayed by the state government for more than a decade. They expressed their disappointment during their ongoing protest at Freedom Park here on Friday. Around 150 members affiliated to the Karnataka Mission for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and the state union of Urban Rehabilitation Workers (URW), Village Rehabilitation Workers (VRW) and Multipurpose Rehabilitation Workers (MRW) cited the decade long demands which remain unfulfilled by successive governments.

Basavaraj Veerashippa, explained how his plight as an URW (urban rehabilitation worker) turned sour following which he switched to being a delivery executive. He added, “During my 17-year stay in Bengaluru, only my pension has been credited, despite promises of a house, a two-wheeler and a pair of crutches.” With a pair of deformed legs, Basavaraj claimed that he had demanded Rs 8 lakh for a house to be built under a promised scheme. “We had gone to the Chief Minister’s residence to put an end to this wait but to no avail,” he added.

K Subramanya, President of the MRW & URW Association here, “Our main demand is to regularise our work. In these days where daily needs are increasingly becoming unaffordable, our meagre honorarium of Rs 9000 is not enough,” he lamented. In his days as leader of opposition, Siddaramiah had reportedly assured them the problems of the workers would be solved.