Autism is a bit of a difficult disability to detect as it is a hidden disability of sorts.
Click to play videoNew Delhi/Chennai: Nearly 24 hours after CNN-IBN Citizen Journalist Prithvi Raj reported on how his autistic son was discriminated against by security personnel and not allowed to board a flight in Bangalore, Ministry of Social Justice has issued suo moto notices to both the CISF and Airport Authority.
After watching the story of 11-year-old Ahed, the CISF too swung into prompt action and ordered a probe into the incident and so did Chief Commissioner, Person for Disability - an arm of the Ministry of Social Justice.
“We are very serious about taking action. We’ll talk to the aggrieved and issue suo moto notices to CISF and airport authorities as they are responsible for the behaviour of their staff,” said Chief Comissioner, Person for Disability, Manoj Kumar.
Ahed’s father Prithvi Raj – also a Tamil fim star – on Wednesday recorded the apathetic attitude of security officials at the Banaglore airport, who believed that letting the autistic Ahed into the flight would be “dangerous for other passengers.”
Though the CISF personnel refused to comment in front of the camera, they admitted that the incident was unfortunate and strict action should be taken if the accused is proven guilty.
They also admitted that a good lesson in sensitisation is required for their officers so that they are careful while dealing with such issues.
Ahed’s family is happy with the response their story has generated. “After the story was aired on CNN-IBN, people are taking notice of the issue,” says Prithvi Raj
While Prithvi Raj is happy about the issue being discussed, the incident itself has raised several questions regarding the guidelines to organisations and sensitivity among people regarding the differently abled.
WHAT IS AUTISM |
Autistic children have a fascination with language, but they may be unresponsive towards normal teaching methods. It is a developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects the normal functioning of the brain. It leads to difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication and social interactions. |
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.