Social Rehabilitation

Throughout the period of human history, the disabled people across all societies without exception have been stigmatized, marginalised and oppresssed. The disabled constitute a chunk of the population, which is most backward, grossly neglected and least served. They are looked down with disdain. The ordeals and the tribulations faced by them have been heart rending. Person with disabilities are perceived to be the poorest of the poor and weakest of the weak. They are always at a socially,economically, and educationally at a disadvantaged position and as a result they are customarily denied their right to self-assertion, dignity, their own independent identity and personal development. This victimisation is quite conspicuous, manifest

Earlier the emphasis for the disabled was on medical rehabilitation but now the focus has been shifted to social rehabilitation. The experience of the disabled people who are residing in rural India suggests that this medical model does not explain adequately the phenomena of disability as is done by the social rehabilitation.What prevents the disabled residing in the villages from leading a life like others like participating in family celebrations, joining in get togethers, going to school, and working in fields is not impairment or the disabilities of individuals but how society views the disabilities, interprets and reacts to them. Life, for the disabled, become strenuous not so much by the individual’s medical condition, but primordially by a hostile physical, cultural and social environment which prohibits and debars the disabled people from all spheres of social life. It is not the medical impairment which really matters for the disabled, but the way in which society reacts to the people with disabilities and excludes them from taking part in celebrations,social life, religious worship, political decision-making

The Constitution of India, in order to safeguard the interests of the disadvantaged sections of the Society, guarantees that no person will be denied ‘equality’ before the law (Article 14 of the Indian Constitution). The Constitution of India through the relevant Articles provides constitutional guarantees to all including the disabled. The Articles are: Article 15(1): It enjoins on the Government not to discriminate against any citizen of India (including disabled) on the ground of race, religion, sex, caste, or place of birth. Article 15(2): also categorically states that no citizen (including the disabled) shall be subjected to any liability, disability, restriction or condition on any of the above grounds in the matter of their access to public restaurants, shops, places of public entertainment and hotels or in the use of bathing places (ghats),wells, tanks, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of government funds or dedicated to the use of the general public. Article 17 categorically states that irrespective of his/ her belonging, no person including the disabled, can be treated as an untouchable and it would be an