At the calcutta Football League, a heartwarming sight melted everyone’s hearts — a father carrying his disabled son through the stands, determined not to let physical barriers steal his child’s joy of watching the game. The image was powerful, but it carried with it a darker truth: India’s public spaces remain hostile to the disabled.
A Moment of Love, A Lifetime of Neglect
The father’s devotion was moving, but his struggle symbolized the absence of basic accessibility in indian stadiums: no ramps, no elevators, no wheelchair-friendly seating — just endless steps and obstacles. What should have been an ordinary family outing became an extraordinary act of endurance.
Laws on Paper, Nowhere on the Ground
India has the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016), which mandates barrier-free access in public buildings and spaces. Yet, most stadiums, malls, bus depots, and even hospitals remain inaccessible. For millions of disabled citizens, rights exist in government gazettes, not in real life.
Exclusion in Everyday Life
From schools without ramps to train stations without lifts, disabled people are routinely excluded from public participation. Attending a football match, catching a train, or even visiting a park — things most take for granted — become battles for dignity.
Accessibility Is Not Charity, It’s a Right
The father carrying his son was an act of love. But in a functioning system, it shouldn’t have been necessary. Accessibility is not about kindness — it’s about equality. Without ramps, accessible toilets, tactile paths, and proper infrastructure, india is effectively telling millions of its citizens: “You don’t belong here.”
👉 Bottom line: The football match was “lovely” for the crowd. For the disabled, it was a reminder that india still builds public spaces as if they exist only for the able-bodied. Until accessibility stops being an afterthought, these stories will continue to repeat themselves — fathers carrying sons, citizens carrying burdens that society refuses to share.
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