Visually Impaired Protesters Clash with Police

April 21, 2026

Shimla, April 21: Visually impaired youths, who have been staging a sit-in protest in Shimla for 918 days regarding their demands, staged a demonstration outside the Secretariat on Tuesday. During the protest, a large gathering of persons with disabilities raised slogans against the government, and scuffles with the police force also ensued.

Rajesh Thakur, who is leading the protest, stated that their primary demand is the one-time filling of vacant backlog posts reserved for persons with disabilities under a special recruitment drive. He alleged that the government has been consistently ignoring their demands, leaving the future of approximately 1,500 persons with disabilities in the state in a state of uncertainty.

Meeting with Chief Minister Fails to Materialize

Rajesh Thakur accused the government and the administration of reneging on their promises. He recounted that on April 6, persons with disabilities had marched toward the Chief Minister’s residence, ‘Oak Over,’ where they were assured of a meeting with the Chief Minister. However, attempts to contact the Principal Secretary on April 7 proved futile, and no response was received.

The protesters noted that the Chief Minister is currently not present in Shimla. They asserted that the government simply does not have the time to listen to the grievances of persons with disabilities.

Intensified Agitation If Demands Are Not Met

Rajesh Thakur stated, “We are demanding the rights granted to us by the Constitution, yet the government is forcing us to protest on the streets. We have even been stripped of the facilities we previously enjoyed.” The Association for the Visually Impaired has issued an ultimatum to the government. They warned that if they do not receive a written assurance today regarding a meeting with the Chief Minister, their agitation will take on a more aggressive form.

Plans to Lay Siege to Chief Minister’s Residence, ‘Oak Over’

As an immediate act of protest, demonstrators will stage a shirtless protest outside the Secretariat. This will be followed by a statewide siege of the Chief Minister’s residence, ‘Oak Over,’ and a complete blockade of traffic (Chakka Jam). The protesters further warned that in the next phase of their agitation, they would take to the streets armed with bottles of petrol and lighters.

The Association maintains that government officials have washed their hands of the matter. They assert that now, only Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu can intervene and ensure the welfare of the visually impaired community. They have demanded to know why 1,500 posts reserved for persons with disabilities have been withheld, while appointments are being made in other departments.