New Delhi: On the eve of World Disablity Day, people with hearing disability on Friday urged the government to recognise Indian sign language as an official language, saying it was key to their development and empowerment.
Noting that 18 lakh out of the 70 lakh disabled population in the country have hearing disability, National Association for Deaf (NAD) said their concerns have not been heard for the last 64 years. “Indian Sign Language is still not recognised as an official language. There are only 250 Sign Language interpreters in the whole country. There is no post of sign language interpreters in the government,” A S Narayanan, Secretary of National Association of Deaf, said. The NAD had also last week shot off a letter to Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking his intervention in ensuring an official status for Indian Sign Language. “Sadly, our concerns have not been addressed in the past 64 years of independence…Indian Sign Language, which is the foundation for any development or empowerment of deaf people, is still not a recognised language…. There are no sign language interpreters in schools, police stations, hospitals and airports. “So if you are a deaf person in this country, you cannot go to school, you cannot watch TV, and God forbid, if you have to go to the police station or hospital for an emergency,” he said in the letter. Elaborating on the problems faced by them, Narayanan said, “Imagine going to catch a train and not being able to hear the announcement that your train has been delayed or postponed…. There are no visual announcements.” (PTI)