UPLIFTMENT OF THE CATTLE CLASS

The past week has been a mixed of experiences. I was asked to comment on making banking facility accessible for a quadriplegic. I think the customer service section of every bank should be made wheelchair friendly or even stretcher accommodative. It is quite painful to be left in the parking waiting in the extreme weather conditions just because the architecture inside is not suitable for you.

Further, the ATM machines being used presently are meant for those who can stand. These machines should be re designed so that they can be used even while sitting.

I may be accused of being communal but I feel the architecture meant for a person lying on a bed can easily be used by an entirely fit person but sadly the converse is not true.

Recently I received calls from two persons in their mid thirties who went through a slapping spree from their fathers. One of them wanted to drink cow milk which is expensive compared to the delicacy being dished out by Mother Dairy.

The other one made this piercing comment :-

Agar unhe hamaari zaroorat nahin, toh paida karte hi maar kyon nahi dete.

While listening to both of them quietly without reacting much, my mind went to another platform exploring possibilities to alleviate them of their misery.

Perhaps emulating an old age home could be the answer where the inhabitants take the responsibility of managing the establishment. In an era of self advocacy they should be empowered to make their own decisions. The sum of “liberty” and “responsibility” would always be “prosperity”.

But this is not a holistic approach since we are brokering peace by dividing the two communities – able and disable. A more realistic approach would be to connect with people with similar thought processes and snapping ties peacefully once there is slightest of disagreement or circumstances disintegrate – to build new bridges that will help a disable person complete his lifetime on this earth.

This way, irrespective of disability, we can all live peacefully.