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Little people urge the world to have a larger heart
highlighting the social stigma they face that manifests in many ways including ridicule, and raising demands such as increasing allowance and special schemes, a human chain was organised on the occasion of World Dwarf Day in the city on Thursday.The participants insisted that the word “dwarf” should be shunned in favour of “little people”,pointing out how they were being targeted due to appearance
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migrator
migrator
Chennai
Holding placards and banners, the participants demanded a separate category of more disability, special housing programmes, increase in the monthly allowance of Rs 3,000, quota in education and service, free bus pass at district level among others.
The bigger demand, however, was to remove the stigma. “They are being ridiculed for their different appearance and are called dwarfs. We want that to change that term to ‘little people’. More awareness needs to be generated among the general public by the State,” said B Radhakrishnan state vice president the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled & Caregivers (TARATDAC).
Though the exact population in the category in the State is not known, Radhakrishnan said that it could be more than 300. “They are employed in small shops and a few in the film industry. Our struggle is to ensure that they are allowed to live with dignity, which can be achieved through social acceptance and opportunities,” he said.
He added that the association has presented the demands to the State Disability Commission.
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