750 leprosy colonies in India still remain segregated from mainstream society: Official
New Delhi, Jan 26 (PTI): There are still 750 leprosy colonies in India that remain segregated from mainstream society, S Govindaraj, the Commissioner at the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD), said on Sunday, emphasising the urgent need for collective efforts to break the stigma associated with leprosy.
Speaking at a virtual seminar on World Leprosy Day #, Govindaraj also addressed the legal challenges faced by individuals affected by the disease and urged comprehensive solutions to ensure their rights and dignity.
The seminar, organised by CCPD, brought together government officials, NGOs, medical experts, and advocates to address myths about leprosy and promote the inclusion of affected individuals.
Govindaj noted that 750 leprosy colonies in India remain segregated from mainstream society and called for collective efforts to end the discrimination associated with leprosy
Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), described "leprosy-related untouchability as worse than caste-based discrimination".
Sharing his experiences from three decades ago in a leprosy colony in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, he highlighted how even family members often alienate those afflicted with the disease.
Aggarwal called for legal reforms, early detection, and robust rehabilitation measures to combat this issue.
S Sivasubramaniam, a senior scientist, revealed that India accounts for 53 per cent of global leprosy cases, stressing the need for community-based rehabilitation.
Shivkumar, a leprosy expert, added that 125 districts in 14 states continue to report significant cases, with Chhattisgarh leading the tally with 24 districts.
Advocacy and communication expert Nikita Sarah emphasiWed that leprosy is one of the easiest diseases to cure if detected early but continues to face stigma due to ignorance.
"It is not a deformity or disability, but the lack of awareness perpetuates these misconceptions," she said.
The seminar also featured Dr P Narasimha Rao, President of the International Leprosy Association, who elaborated on the medical challenges of leprosy elimination.
He pointed out that the disease, while rare in most parts of the world, remains a concern in India, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Shabnam Khan, a leprosy survivor, shared her journey of overcoming societal rejection to become her family's first graduate and live an independent life, offering a message of hope and resilience.
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Congress to have massive organisational reshuffle: KC Venugopal
Ahmedabad, Apr 8 (PTI): The Congress is going to have a "massive organisational reshuffle", AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Tuesday as the party's top leaders met here and vowed to embark on the "path of social justice" espoused by Sardar Patel.
Briefing reporters after the extended Congress Working Committee meeting at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial here, Venugopal noted that the Congress has dedicated this year to a complete restructuring of the party organisation and the issue was discussed at length at the meeting.
"We are going to have a massive organisational reshuffle, and there will be guidelines for the same. Our general secretaries and in-charges are on it," he said.
Venugopal also stressed that measures to empower the party's district unit chiefs will be rolled out soon.
"We have already decided on that issue, empowering the DCC presidents and duties and powers of the DCCs has been discussed in various forums, already general secretaries and in-charges have approved the proposals and we are going to roll out that proposal in the near future," he said while replying to queries.
Venugopal said the Extended CWC passed a resolution that "our party will walk on the path showed to us by Sardar Patel ji".
"He stood up against the oppression of the British, fighting for the rights of workers and farmers. He rejected communal forces after Bapu’s assassination. He fought for an India where everyone had fundamental rights and freedoms.
"Today, as we embark on the path of social justice, our Nyay Path follows the same principles laid down by Sardar Patel," he said.
In his opening address at the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also asserted the party's claim to Sardar Patel's legacy and accused the BJP and RSS of trying to usurp it under a "well-planned conspiracy" against national heroes.
Kharge stressed that the Congress is taking forward the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Patel.
"Sardar Patel Saheb lives in our hearts, lives in our thoughts. We are taking his legacy forward. We have organised this CWC meeting in Ahmedabad at Sardar Patel Museum with this thought in mind. We pay our heartfelt tributes to him," he said.
Earlier in the day, AICC general secretary Sachin Pilot told reporters that the Congress intends to create more empowered district units with their presidents having enhanced accountability, responsibility and political strength.
He said that the Congress would fight the upcoming elections with strength and expressed confidence that the Congress and its supporting ideologies would come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge.
Briefing reporters outside the venue, Pilot said, "The intention of the Congress president and the Leader of Opposition is to create a more empowered district unit."
"The accountability, the responsibility and the political strength that we have thus given to the district presidents is set to be enhanced," he stressed.
The final outcome will be decided after the convention on Wednesday but the intention of the Congress is to make the District Pradesh Congress (DCC) presidents more empowered than before, the former Union minister said, adding the move is aimed at expanding the party's reach in villages, divisions and booths.
"The year 2025 is the year of the organisation to strengthen our workers, expand our party ideology and to make sure that the Congress reaches out in a mass contact programme through padyatras and door-to-door programmes," he said.
The party wants to send a clear message not just to its opponents but to its supporters and workers that the Congress will not step back and fight aggressively both within Parliament and outside, and make sure it wins the next political challenge, Pilot said.
"Elections are fought to be won, the next few elections we will fight with strength and I am supremely confident that the Congress and its supporting ideologies will come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge," Pilot said.
He said the resolution passed at the end of the session on April 9 will be named 'Nyay Path'.
"Tomorrow' session will write a new chapter in history," he said
The grand old party has announced that the Ahmedabad Session will be themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh", with more than 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members attending the main conclave on April 9 on the banks of the Sabarmati river between the Sabarmati Ashram and Kochrab Ashram.
