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 F RO M
E X P L O I TAT I O N
TO
EM P OWERMENT

A Socio-Legal Model of Rehabilitation and

Reintegration of Intellectually Disabled Children

Asha Bajpai
 From Exploitation to Empowerment

“I would like to congratulate Ms. Bajpai for writing this book on a very impor-
tant topic namely empowerment of intellectually disabled orphan children.
This book should help students, teachers, lawyers and social workers and the
Government in understanding the problems of children in need of care and pro-
tection and the solution to end their concerns. Ms. Bajpai was appointed to help
the court as ‘Amicus Curiae’ and to assist the court on several important issues.
It was only because of her help I could pass several orders to help these children.
I wish her all the best in her new endeavour of putting on record her arduous but
immensely successful journey of bringing hope and light in life of these children.”
—Kanade V. M. Justice, Retd. Mumbai High Court

“Project Chunauti was created to secure justice to the mentally challenged

orphan children who were abused and exploited by individuals in whose care
they were placed, Chunauti adapted a child rights based and multi-stakeholder
approach involving the Hon. Bombay High Court, Government of Maharashtra,
Maharashtra’s Child Welfare Committee, Tata Institute of Social Sciences and
Mankhurd Children’s Home. In order to get Justice for the Children and ena-
ble them move from “Exploited to Empowered” involved negotiating the legal,
administrative and governance systems. It was a great teamwork and the team
worked hard in a very difficult and challenging social and political environment.
With financial support from Mazagaon Docks Ltd and National Stock Exchange,
Professor Asha Bajpai put together a professional team to motivate and counsel
the children, and put them through schooling and vocational education and keep
the Hon. High Court informed of the progress being made by the initiative at
regular intervals. Through this process, a highly innovative, replicable and adapt-
able model of de-institutionalization, rehabilitation and social-reintegration of
mentally challenged children in State care has been demonstrated. This model that
is described in this book can support all children in State care in Government and
Non-Government run institutions to de-instutionalise and reintegrate with the
society as productive individuals. I am proud to have been associated with the ini-
tiative as the Director of Tata Institute of Social Sciences to facilitate the team to
accomplish a very difficult and nationally important mission.”
—S. Parasuraman, Former Director of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences
(August 2004 to February 2018); currently Senior Fellow, Fudan
University, Shanghai, China; Adjunct Professor, National Institute
of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Hyderabad; Director, Banyan
Academy of Leadership in Mental Health (BALM), Chennai, India
“Chunauti (“challenge”), a Field Action Project of the Tata Institute of Social
Sciences, emerged from public interest litigation initiated by the Mumbai High
Court after five intellectually disabled orphan children died in a state-aided insti-
tution in Maharashtra, India. The project aimed to reform state care systems
to provide intellectually disabled children with the education, care, and dignity
guaranteed by law. This book details the court directions, media coverage, fac-
tual findings, state agency responses, and legal foundation for development of
this rehabilitation model to integrate intellectually disabled children into society
and ready them for independent living.
Policymakers, lawyers, child and disability rights advocates, students, and
other readers who seek models of collaboration to bring about systemic change
will find this book a gripping and provocative read.”
—Prof. Jane Ellen Schukoske, Advisor, S M Sehgal Foundation, India

“On 24 August, 2010, Mumbai Mirror reported the death of 5 intellectually

disabled orphan children in a government-recognized and aided home in Thane
district, Maharashtra. The deaths were a result of the malnutrition, neglect,
and abuse they endured. Further investigation also revealed a history of physi-
cal abuse and sexual assault. Following this disclosure, Asha Bajpai, Professor of
Law at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, was appointed amicus curiae by the
Bombay High Court. This book traces the journey of the children who were res-
cued and rehabilitated through Project Chunnauti.
This book is an important resource for all those who wish to undertake a sim-
ilar journey to empower children with intellectual disabilities so that they can be
protected and empowered.”
—Enakshii Ganguly, Co-Founder-HAQ: Centre for Child Rights,
New Delhi, India
 Asha Bajpai

From Exploitation
to Empowerment
A Socio-Legal Model of Rehabilitation and
Reintegration of Intellectually Disabled Children
Asha Bajpai
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

ISBN 978-981-13-1717-0 ISBN 978-981-13-1718-7 (eBook)

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1718-7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018950492

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018

This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights
of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction
on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and
retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are
exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and
information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication.
Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied,
with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have
been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published
maps and institutional affiliations.

Cover image: Tim Gainey/Alamy Stock Photo

Cover design by Akihiro Nakayama

This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Singapore Pte Ltd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore
189721, Singapore
 Foreword

I feel very privileged to write this foreword to this multifaceted and

poignantly magnificent narrative of law and disability for many reasons.
It offers the finest tradition of partnership between investigative jour-
nalism, social action litigation (SAL) process (unfortunately still mis-
called public interest litigation), the judiciary, and the intrepid social
science-based social movement in India. Professor Asha Bajpai is a
­
veteran and versatile specialist in the rights of the child and this work
additionally shows why social sciences knowledges are integral to the
production of social change.
A series of radical contingencies led to the emergence of social action
depicted in this book. But for responsive and response-able initiation of
suo motu proceedings by Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Dhananjay
Chadrachud on the report in Mumbai Mirror on the horrifying condi-
tions of custodial institution (homes) for intellectually disabled children,
these chronic situations of misfortune would never have been trans-
formed into situations of injustice.1 Nor would the willing conscrip-
tion in activist adjudication process of Professor Asha Bajpai of the Tata
Institute of Social Science as amicus curiae. Nor, further, a new social
organization and movement named Chunauti would have been born
and achieved so much, and in such a short time the way it did. Most
importantly, the rescue and painstaking of over 100 children would not

1I owe this distinction, which I have used variously in my writings, to Judith N. Shklar,

The Faces of Injustice (New Haven, Conn., Yale University Press).

v
vi    Foreword

have ever occurred, with astonishing impact of replication attempt now

under way for all ‘homes’ in Maharashtra, and eventually also proposed
in other parts of India. This is indeed a singular service to a bulk of
neglected tiny citizens of India.
There are multiple messages in this monograph: The chief among them
is that state institutions can be taught to care for people living with disa-
bility. It was this ethic of care that SAL built into social action and adju-
dication. That combinatory ethic makes room for a new linkage between
care, rights, responsibility, and justice. And for the care givers, it creates a
duty and responsivity toward concrete others (as Selya Benhabib used to
characterize otherness)2 for whom we assume responsibility: Most impor-
tant is the fact the ethics of care ‘respects rather than removes itself from
the claims of particular others with whom we share actual relationships’3;
impartiality is not achieved through distance and hierarchy but by constant
engagement and acts of empathy in transactions of learning and unlearning.
This valuable monograph illustrates this truth elegantly and lucidly
through an account of the sustained action program of Chunauti, a
prime example of translating into action the rights promised by law. The
larger message is that normative law may not be a gigantic hoax or a bag
of constitutional tricks (I often contrast constitutions and ‘contricks’—
tricks of constitutional governance with constitutional law—‘Conlaw’).
Partnership among learned professions very often succeeds in erasing the
boundaries between ‘conlaw’ and ‘contrick’. Professor Bajpai here pro-
vides a detailed and an anxious narrative of such partnership.
This work also makes visible the plight of the tormented and right-
less children who are intellectually disabled. ‘Dearth of awareness of their
condition’, the social ‘apathy’ in general toward people living with disa-
bility, lack of ‘social integration’, and the sheer fact of abandonment to
custodial institutions without any redress for lifelong incarceration, tyr-
anny, and torture confront any student of intellectually disabled children.
These constitute nearly 6% of disabilities in India and 57:7% of them are
dependent on others.

2Seyla Benhabib, ‘The Generalized and the Concrete Other: The Kohlberg Gilligan

Controversy and Feminist Theory’, in Situating the Self: Gender, Community, and
Postmodernism in Contemporary Ethics 148–77 (New York: Routledge, 1992).
3Virginia Held, The Ethics of Care: Personal, Political, Global, at 10–13 (Oxford

University Press, 2006). See also, Nel Noddings, Caring, A Feminine Approach to Ethics &
Moral Education, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984.)
 Foreword    vii

Dr. Bajpai appeals us to consider two ways out of apathy to empow-

erment. One is ‘changing the world’, and second is changing of our
‘mindsets’. Both these exits are interlinked but distinct and pose enor-
mous challenges. But much can be attained by small steps than meta-nar-
ratives of human rights and global social change rhetoric. What is needed
is a modicum of respect for fellow-citizens who are born with, or have
acquired, disability. Such respect is also owed to a fair implementation
of the normative enunciations of human rights in the Convention of the
Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD.)
The term ‘respect’ also implies sincerity in amelioration the suffering
of ‘blossoms in the dust’4 and the obligation of both promotion and pro-
tection of human rights. Dr. Bajpai suggests a joint reading of Articles 19
and 12 of the CRPD: the latter stating that persons with disabilities are
subjects of rights and the former entailing the right to reasonable accom-
modation of one’s own choosing. These rights to dignity and autonomy
have been interpreted consistently in favor of people with disabilities
in many parts of the world and also upheld in Indian appellate courts.5

4I am here referring to an American award-winning movie by the same title on life in

an orphanage (1941) as well as the great general treatise on Indian development by
Kusum Nair, Blossoms in the Dust: The Human Factor in Indian Development (New York,
Duckworth, 1962).
5For example, on a very recent 2018 decision, Justices S Murlidhar and I Mehta

quashed the detention in the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS)
of 71-year-old Ram Kumar who was ‘unbeknownst to his family, taken away to IHBAS
for observation for two days’ and his ‘unlawful detention’ was continued by orders issued
on November 5 and 20, 2017, by the Metropolitan Magistrate at Rohini. While this case
concerned a senior citizen, Dr. Bajpai speaks of intimidating and adverse conditions of
adults housed in children’s home and children who spent the entire life in the ‘home’. Ram
Kumar’s only fault was to express anger by shouting and even creating a ‘ruckus’ at law’s
delays (he was a petitioner in person). He was kept under ‘observation’ at IHBAS, though
he was not found to be maniac depressive or in any way mentally unsound. While the Delhi
High Court reproached him for suffering a ‘litigation neurosis’, it did not concede any
mental illness. It ordered his release on November 25, 2017, but on April 26, 2018, gave
a seven-part detailed constitutional judgment. The decision is notable for its impassioned
plea for the ‘complete dismantling of the penal custodial model of health care’ and the alert
for everyone to view the mental health law as ‘essentially concerning the right to treatment
and care of persons’ consistent with their rights to ‘liberty and dignity and need for auton-
omy’ (italics added). It is also notable for the issuance of a collective judicial apology to the
petitioner and directions for adequate compensation.
viii    Foreword

While we await the signs of the birth of caring state institutions, all of us
in Indian society must come to regard the people living with disabilities
as co-citizens, and subjects rather than objects of social development.
I place this slender but significant volume in your hands with a hope
that an India-wide Chunauti—a challenge to confront injustices meted
out to people living with disabilities—acquires a summoning urgency
because we all are bound by the Fundamental Duties of Citizens under
Part IV-A of the Constitution of India.

Delhi, India Upendra Baxi

June 2018 Emeritus Professor of Law
University of Warwick and Delhi
 Preface

This is the story of a journey of exploitation and empowerment—

of abuse and inclusion- of hope and healing- of the most vulnera-
ble group of children- the intellectually disabled, orphan children in a
State-aided institution. It all began when a disturbing report appeared
in the Mumbai Mirror on August 24, 2010. Mumbai Mirror reported
the death of 5 intellectually disabled children due to malnutrition at a
government-recognized and aided home near Mumbai; 18 children (13
boys, 5 girls) were subjected to severe malnutrition and unhygienic living
conditions, all cramped in a dingy room at the children’s home. Many
were starving and more would have died if they had not been shifted
because of the report. The report disclosed the unsanitary conditions
in which the children had been housed and the lack of basic facilities.
It noted that the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of the District and
the District Women and Child Development Department (DWCD)
officer had failed to do their mandatory duty of proper inspections and
take adequate remedial steps. The news report raised fundamental ques-
tions about the denial of human rights to intellectually disabled, orphan
children. It also questioned the apathy and neglect of those running
the institution and of public functionaries vested with statutory powers
under the prevalent Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000
(amended 2006) (JJAct). 1

1The JJ Act 2000 has now been replaced by JJ Act 2015.

ix
x    Preface

The Division Bench headed by the then Chief Justice of Mumbai

High Court, Hon. Justice Mohit Shah and Hon. Justice D. Y.
Chandrachud, took suo motu cognizance of the news report and a Public
Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Mumbai High Court. The con-
cerned District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the Department of
Women and Child Development (DWCD), Government of Maharashtra,
were made respondents in the case (PIL 182 of 2010)2. Later, the
Division Benches headed by Hon. Justice Dr. D. Y. Chandrachud, Hon.
Justice V. M. Kanade, and Hon. Justice A. S. Oka continued the PIL.
This was a gross failure of the juvenile justice system. It was later
found that many of the children who were rescued were physically and
sexually abused as well. Children with intellectual and other developmen-
tal disabilities in institutions are perfect targets for neglect, sexual abuse,
and assault. A sexual assault is a severe, heinous breach of trust and faith
for the intellectually disabled victim children. The Court stated ‘the case
highlights the plight of children desperately in need of care and protec-
tion. Their needs have been ignored in years of neglect. Their right to
life under the Constitution has been brazenly infringed. The solemn cov-
enants of the Convention on the Rights of the Child have remained an
unachieved illusion. The Court has had to act suo motu because the men-
tally challenged are unable to secure the protection of their human rights
or access to justice. The Court is constrained to intervene to ensure
that those who are under a public duty to act in accordance with law.
Development without freedom is meaningless. A society, which bears her
children, to die of starvation has unanswered questions, which cannot be
answered. Neither constitutional freedom nor growth in a global soci-
ety can be achieved when the young die without a morsel of food and
clean water. We write in great anguish over the deprivations faced by our
young and the disabled but in the determined hope that judicial review
can activate a democratic deficit of governance’.
The Hon. Court appointed me as the Amicus Curiae (friend of the
Court) in the matter. There was also an urgent and immediate need
to ensure that the children were given medical, psychiatric, and nutri-
tional support. In its order of September 9, 2011, the Hon. Court asked
the District CWC and the DWCD to respond to the Media article. In

2In Re Articles in Mumbai Mirror 2017 SCC Online Bom 418, Para 27 available at

http://bombayhighcourt.nic.in/ accessed on May 2, 2018.

 Preface    xi

response, the DWCD confirmed the accuracy of the facts as reported in

the newspaper. A FIR was filed in police station by the CWC. At the
request of the Court, I visited the children along with a counselor, Dr.
Naina Athale. When I went to meet the children, they were all sitting in
a room in pin drop, gloomy silence. None of them spoke. They appeared
malnourished and scared. I did not ask them what happened to you. I
knew by then they had answered this to the superintendent, the pro-
bation officer, secretary, minister, police, and so on … Instead, I intro-
duced both of us and told them we have been sent by the Court, to meet
them. Blank sheets and crayons were handed to them. Some of them did
not even know how to hold them. They mostly used black, mainly drew
those houses, which we used to draw when we were in school—a tri-
angle on top and rectangle below with a door and windows. Many of
them placed themselves outside their house. Their drawings spoke vol-
umes about them. Later, some of them on their own started speaking
and ­confided about what had happened to them.
It was then decided that if this was the situation in a Mentally
Deficient Children’s (MDC)3 Home in Mumbai, we need to look at
other homes in Maharashtra. So expert committees in the State and
regions were formed. A study was done in all the other 23 homes in the
State. Another case of gross sexual abuse and exploitation of 19 girls
came to light during the visit of the members of one of the regional
committees that included Naina Athale, Pramod Nigudkar, and Deepali
Bhattacharya. Horrifying tales of abuse were heard and bruises observed
on their body parts. Another disturbing fact that emerged in the study
was that throughout Maharashtra, there was zero-percent awareness,
relating to disability and child sexual abuse of the staff in MDC Homes.
The status report was submitted to the High Court.
All the 35 children who were rescued from the two Homes were
brought together, in a fully aided Government Home in Mumbai. The
rescued children had experienced gross neglect, malnutrition, and abuse
allegedly at the hands of the very people, who were supposed to care for
them. The Chunauti team members, the counsellors under the guidance
of the mental health expert, Dr. Harish Shetty, worked very hard to give
psychological and psychiatric help to these traumatized children. For the

3MDC homes in Maharashtra are where intellectually disabled children are housed in

State care.
xii    Preface

first time, a group of such children faced the criminal justice system and
gave evidence in Court against the perpetrators and also got conviction.
One of them gave evidence through the sign language. This was a land-
mark event setting a precedent for children with intellectual disabilities
and hearing and speech impairment, children in institutional care, to give
evidence in courts. Special Public Prosecutor admitted that the main evi-
dence in the case was the testimony of children with mental disabilities,
who despite their trauma came forward and testified. He said that it was
their bravery, which helped to prove the case, and led to conviction of
the accused.
After their rescue, the question of their rehabilitation remained. The
common perception about children with intellectual disabilities under
institutional care is that that these children just need food, clothes, shel-
ter, medicines, and protection or safety. This often leads to not provid-
ing them with opportunities to help them develop and improve their
life condition to live with dignity and respect. The trauma and confu-
sion in the minds of these children were immense. They also needed
other developmental and therapeutic inputs to help them become more
independent. Hence, funds were collected and the Project Chunauti, a
field action Project of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), was
initiated to provide the children with a chance for a better life. Project
Chunauti is a partnership project between several stakeholders. Each
stakeholder has a vital role to play in ensuring the rehabilitation.
The current mindset is that people with intellectual disabilities can
never do anything and must remain in the institutions for the rest of
their lives, with no training, no education, no skills, waiting for death to
come. They generally do not go to school. There is no structured curric-
ulum. Many of them go to activity classes for a short time doing art and
craft. So, you see 50, 60, and 70 years old in these institutions, as they
have no options. In most countries, preconceived notions and a predom-
inantly medical view of disability contribute to negative attitudes toward
people with disabilities. Often, they are portrayed as sick, defective, and
deviant persons, as objects of professional intervention, as a burden to
themselves and their families and dependent on another people’s charity.
These deep-rooted views have consequences for their opportunities in
getting education and work or raising families of their own. Everywhere,
persons with disabilities make up a large portion of the poor, vulnerable,
and marginalized. These children being orphans were doubly disadvan-
taged. It was this mindset that the Project Chunauti wanted to change.
 Preface    xiii

The Project Chunauti operates from the core belief in children’s

capacities to develop to their full potential. We believe that children with
intellectual disabilities have the same set of rights—right to survival,
development, protection, and participation—like other children and all
these rights are equally important. We have a vision for these children
and a belief that these children are also capable of learning developing
to their potential, living independently with dignity and forming an inte-
gral part of society. All our interventions were planned based on this core
belief in children’s potential to learn and develop. These interventions
included—needs assessment, case management, preparing individual
care plans, and developing linkages with various stakeholders for quality
services for children for their development. It further included provid-
ing education and physical and mental health interventions, counseling,
life skills, special education, inclusive education in regular schools, ther-
apeutic interventions through occupational therapy, therapeutic toys,
games, dance, and gardening and Mehendi (Henna Designing), regular
monitoring and reporting, capacity building of staff and development of
child protection policy and protocols relating to licensing and inspection,
training, dealing with malnutrition and abuse, and code of conduct for
the staff. This led to several advocacy and policy reforms.
After facing years of neglect, abuse, and exploitation, it was hearten-
ing that these children were rediscovering joys in their lives. The children
started dreaming of a future full of hopes. Some wanted to be beautician;
others do housekeeping and hospitality; and some nursing, baking, and so
on. After education and training and employment, finally three children
got placements and job offers. An orientation, on money management
and work behavior and ethics, was given to them as they had abso-
lutely no concept of money. They are now out of the institution toward
independent living after getting release orders from the Child Welfare
Committee (CWC). More have now been motivated to follow. Everybody
now wants to go out and work and earn money. It was a proud moment
for all of us when 3 girls from Project Chunauti successfully completed
their training and took up jobs—a step forward toward deinstitutionali-
zation, independent living, and social reintegration. As of now, they are
doing well and this has motivated others to work hard toward fulfilling
their own dreams and aspirations. Some more will be moving out.
This is a ‘victory’ for the Chunauti team, the Court, the Media, and
all those who worked hard, faced several challenges and roadblocks, and
xiv    Preface

played a significant role. A replicable, adaptable rehabilitation and rein-

tegration model has emerged for the most vulnerable group of children
in institutions. At the direction of the Hon. High Court, the model of
rehabilitation and social reintegration is being replicated in other MDC
Homes in Maharashtra. There is a possibility it may be replicated in
other States as well. The Court also directed the State to give compensa-
tion to the 35 children—both boys and girls.
There is a shortage of residential homes for children with intellectual
disabilities. Currently, adults and children stay together. In fact, majority
in these homes are adults. The High Court’s direction on providing a
separate scheme by the government for adult inmates is still to be com-
plied with by the State. There is also lack of options for training and
acquiring skills for orphan children with intellectual disability, as they
need accommodation during training. There are no sheltered workshops
or vocational training institutes attached to MDC Homes. Many chil-
dren in these Homes need lifelong support and care. Some need equip-
ment to help them. But there are those mild and moderate cases who can
be trained or educated. They need experiential learning. Vocational units
to teach marketable skills must be started within institutions. After they
start working, they need hostels and subsides housing.
India ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD) in 2007 and in consonance with it enacted the
Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. There is also the
National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy,
Mental retardation and Multiple Disabilities. But the awareness and
applicability of these laws to orphan children in institutions are poor. The
institutions are not aware of these laws and government schemes and
if aware, the process and the application formats are not suited to such
vulnerable orphan, children; hence, these schemes generally remain on
paper. The laws need to be reviewed with a rights-based approach. The
Constitution of India must specifically include prohibition of discrimina-
tion on grounds of disability.
We need laws recognizing legal capacity and independent living to
these persons as per the CRPD. Since, aftercare institutions are a com-
plete failure, there is a need for the State to step in to provide housing
and employment for adult persons coming out of institutions for inde-
pendent living to feel included, recognized, and loved. We need super-
vised group homes where they can live independently and safely. Once
out of institutions and released from the juvenile justice system, they
 Preface    xv

must be allowed to return, if they are unable to adjust and adapt. Laws
that are implementable and that support them to help them learn to take
more initiative and control over their lives are needed. There must be
accountability built in laws for those who violate the provisions.
India has around 430 million children (0–18), the largest population
of children in the world. There is a need to ensure that ALL children
grow up healthy, in terms of both physical health and mental health, and
have sufficient opportunities to contribute to the growth of the coun-
try. It is estimated that many children are destitute and orphans or with-
out parental support in the country. Many of them have been placed in
institutional care under the juvenile justice system. Children, by virtue
of their age, often need special care and protection that adults do not
but children with disabilities have a complex set of needs and encounter
a myriad of social and physical and above all attitudinal barriers. Barriers
which put them into heightened risk of their rights being violated. We
need a policy for deinstitutionalization and independent living. State
must provide housing and jobs for such children and support their inde-
pendent living.
Chunauti was a long and difficult journey. This empowerment of
intellectually disabled children requires huge resources. It requires
intense specialized inputs. Each child has different needs and requires
different support system. The results are gradual, slow with various set-
backs at different stages. Funders that count their achievements in num-
bers and figures do not fund such projects. We had earlier funders but
it was the National Stock Exchange (NSE) that understood their needs
and went beyond counting the number of beneficiaries but instead
looked at the quality and intensity of services to the most marginalized
and vulnerable section of the society. No wonder they were awarded
with the Award for Best CSR Project in the Innovation Category by the
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).4
We are grateful to Mr. Huzan Mistry (Strategic Business Head, New
Products and CSR); Ms. Rema Mohan, CEO, NSE Foundation; and Ms.
Nivya Nair and Mr. Vijay Zarekar of NSE. I would like to make a spe-
cial mention of Ms. Rema Mohan, who was extremely sensitive toward
the special needs of these children. This journey would not have been

4The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is an associa-

tion of business organisations in India. See more: http://ficci.in/.

xvi    Preface

possible without the financial support of NSE. We need more such cor-
porate houses going beyond the ‘number game’ and providing resources
and funds for the cause of persons with intellectual disabilities.
This project really went through hard times. Without the directions
form the Courts, this process would not have been possible. The courts
were a great support in this journey. Their directions made the State and
its agencies take action. The Court direction also provided compensation
from the State to 35 children, both boys and girls.
I am honored that Prof. Upendra Baxi, the world-renowned legal
scholar, distinguished jurist, and eminent legal academic, agreed to write
the foreword, for this book. My sincere thanks to him.
This journey was a great team effort. I am extremely grateful to
my colleague Ms. Sarita Shankaran for standing beside me like a rock
for the cause of the children, throughout the entire journey. A trained
social worker, her inputs relating to social work practices and processes
enhanced the rehabilitation and reintegration of children. Her inputs,
especially in Chapter 3 of this book which include social work interven-
tions, were very significant.
I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the dedicated
Chunauti team. Together the team faced many challenges. Every dis-
appointment, every pain, and hurt served to make the Chunauti team
stronger and move toward its goal. Archana Walanjkar, the project coor-
dinator, worked hard and tirelessly in the field in spite of all odds. She
built remarkable rapport with each and every child and monitored their
progress. Prerna Gautam helped us in the tedious but vital task of docu-
mentation of this entire journey. She constantly updated the documents
to keep current with the Court orders, Media reports, and developments
in the project. Giselle Lawrence dealt with the children with utmost
patience, diligence, and most importantly, with love and kindness. She
has been with the children, as a counsellor, right from the beginning.
Geeta Sakat, a highly skilled special educator, worked extremely hard
with the children who had never been to school. She devised innova-
tive methods to make them learn and understand. Parimala Sanagani,
the administrative assistant, was instrumental in ensuring that the finan-
cial and personnel processes were taken care of. The caretakers—Neelam
Bhoir, Sangita Magar, and Pranita Patil—made it a point that the chil-
dren reach and return from the school safely. The gardener, Bhalchandra
Ture, provided the much-needed therapeutic inputs through plants
and trees. There were others who had to leave us midway but their
 Preface    xvii

contribution cannot be forgotten—Anjali Gokarn, Anchal Verma,

Mildred Rodrigues, Vinita Khedkar, Ranjana Sambhare, Prajakta,
Baliram, Shubhangi Mitkar, PrajaktaValame, Ashwini Jadhav, Susan,
Pratima Zore, Manisha Esave, Suraj Rameshan, Rohan Waghmare, Dilip
Joshi, Dr., Ranjana Sambhare, Sulakhsana Tambe, Dr. Jaiee Kolwankar,
Lalit Satam, Sarika Mane, Asmita Khambe, Daksha, and Balu. I would
also like to specially thank some of the experts associated with the pro-
ject—Dr. (Ms.) Malayakandy Usha Ajithkumar, Ms. Sarita Ganesh, Ms.
Rumya Natraj, Dr. Dilip Khurani, Ms Mohini Shenoy, and Dr. Radhika
Prabhu.
I would like to acknowledge the meticulous legal research done by
Sharanya Shivaraman and the editorial assistance by Aishwarya Chandran
for this publication. Much appreciation from the staff and children of
Chunauti, for the voluntary work done by Dr. Lavina Desai, for provid-
ing the much-needed motivation and encouragement to the children.
Children were happy after her visits.
Thanks to the members of the High Court-appointed State
Coordination Committee—Dr. Harish Shetty, Sarita Shankaran, Pramod
Nigudkar, Chitrakala Acharya, Naina Athale, and Deepali Bhattacharya.
In spite of their hectic work schedules as busy professionals, they spared
time for this project. I appreciate the sincerity and dedication of mem-
bers of the regional committees who did excellent survey of the MDC
Homes in other districts in Maharashtra. The members of the Utilization
Committee—Commissioner, Social Justice, and Commissioner, DWCD,
U.K. Shukla (National Trust), Sarosh Batliwalla, Rubina Lal, Shirish
Poojari, Yogendra Shetty, Mihir Desai, and Sarita Shankaran—with their
rich expertise relating to the rights of intellectually disabled children, law,
and finance gave very valuable inputs. The Utilization Committee was
of the view that the compensation money of Rs. 3 lakhs each that was
given all the 35 children, at the direction of the Court, was the money
that belonged exclusively to the children and the Utilization Committee
helped in determining from each child who was capable of doing so, as
to what they would like to do with it. We respected the right to partici-
pation of the children by considering their say, views, and dreams in the
management of their money.
We appreciate the sincere efforts put in by Pratham and the PACE
team in training and placement of the three girls and the hospitality
organizations which took the bold initiative of giving the three girls an
opportunity to prove themselves.
xviii    Preface

I would like to thank the Departments of Social Justice and Women

and Child Development, the Health Directorate, the Legal Services
Authority, Mumbai Police, and the current Superintendent of the MDC
Home Mr. Rahul Kanthikar and his staff for their cooperation. It is
hoped that after Chunauti team withdraws, the Department of Social
Justice and the staff of MDC Homes continue the model of rehabilita-
tion and reintegration.
I would like to express my gratitude to the Mumbai High Court for
appointing me as the amicus curiae as it was an honor and a great learn-
ing experience for me.
The Media has been a great support especially Sunil Baghel from
Mumbai Mirror. Sunil has persistently followed up the initial report
and the Court hearings. Yogesh Sadhwani and Bapu Deedwania from
Mumbai Mirror were the ones who initially first broke the story.
I would like to express my appreciation to Prof. Parasuraman, the
former Director of TISS, for his valuable and constructive suggestions
during the planning and development of this project and following with
encouragement when it seemed too difficult to be completed. Prof.
Surendra Jaiswal, Deputy Director (Research), was very helpful in pro-
viding partial support for the research. The Staff of TISS Finance and
Accounts and Personnel cooperated with us in achieving this goal. The
TISS CSR Hub team was a great support to us.
I would like to thank the endorsers of this book—Justice V. M.
Kanade, Prof. Parasuraman, Prof. Jane Schukoske, and Enakshi Ganguly.
Thanks to my family for having the patience with me for having taking
yet another challenge, which decreases the amount of time, I can spend
with them: my mother especially, who has taken a big part of the sacri-
fice, and also my sisters and nieces, who always gave me encouragement.
My father, who rests in peace, shares credit on every goal I achieve.
Above all, thanks to the children in Project Chunauti, who gave their
full support, encouragement, and cooperation throughout this journey.
Their enthusiasm and hard work and their dreams were a motivating fac-
tor which kept us going in spite of several hurdles and challenges.
Last but not least, thanks to Ms Sagarika Ghosh, Ms Sandeep Kaur,
and their team at Springer for publishing this initiative. Our only objec-
tive of publishing the process of rehabilitation and reintegration of these
children is to share the experiences, challenges, and processes and steps
that we had to take to during this journey. They may not be the per-
fect procedures and practices and there may be better initiatives but
 Preface    xix

the process and practices can be always adapted and improved. Hope
this publication will motivate the government, the policy makers, the
law reformers, the institutions, the civil society, the corporate funders,
the scholars, and the community to work toward rehabilitation, deinsti-
tutionalization, independent living, and social reintegration of the most
vulnerable section of the society—the intellectually disabled, orphan chil-
dren who have clearly shown that—YES, THEY ALSO CAN.

Mumbai, India Dr. Asha Bajpai Ph.D. (Law)

June 2018 Director Project Chunauti, Chairperson State
Coordination Committee on Child Protection
Member of Utilization Committee, Amicus curiae
PIL 182/2010 of Mumbai High Court
Professor of Law, Center for Law and Society
Founder Dean, School of Law, Rights
and Constitutional Governance
 Contents

1 The Beginnings—The Abuse and Exploitation 1

2 Working with Partners, Stakeholders and Systems 13

3 Working with Children: The Processes and the Model

and Its Replication 71

4 Towards Empowerment: Changing World and Changing

Mind-Set 137

Annexure 1: Members of High Court Appointed Divisional

Coordination Committees for Child Protection 159

Annexure 2: Tools for Inspection of Mentally Deficient

Children’s Institutions 161

Annexure 3: Counselling Indicators 175

Annexure 4: Assessment and Care Planning Format

for Children in MDC Homes 179

xxi
xxii    Contents

Annexure 5: Assessment for Independent Living and Social

Integration 195

References
201

Index 209
 List of Figures

Fig. 2.1 The various stakeholders engaged with the intellectually

disabled child 25
Fig. 3.1 The myriad violations faced by the children 73
Fig. 3.2 Distribution of boys depending on degree of intellectual
disability 76
Fig. 3.3 Distribution of girls depending on degree of intellectual
disability 76
Fig. 3.4 Process of rehabilitation 78
Fig. 3.5 Linking interventions 118
Fig. 3.6 Pictorial representation of the Chunauti model 127
Fig. 3.7 Process of replication 128

Picture 2.1 Newspaper Reports Relating to the Abuse and Exploitation 47

xxiii
 List of Tables

Table 3.1 Category-wise distribution of girls and boys in the project 75

Table 3.2 Distribution of boys and girls according to disability 77
Table 3.3 Mental health assessment 83
Table 3.4 Social and behavioral assessment 84
Table 3.5 Counseling techniques and level of retardation 87
Table 3.6 Life skills intervention 92
Table 3.7 Examinations conducted by occupational therapists 106
Table 3.8 No. of children covered through various interventions 122
Table 3.9 SWOC analysis of the Homes 131
Table 3.10 Number of replications visits conducted by team Chunauti 134
Table 3.11 Various stakeholders reached out during replication
visits, by team Chunauti 135

xxv
 Table of Cases

1. A rticle in Mumbai Mirror v The Secretary, Department of

Women & Child Development.
2. Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai and others
PIL 182 of 2010.
3. Vishakha v State of Rajasthan (1997) 6 SCC 241.
4. Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation No. 182 of 2010 in the
matter of:

Article in Mumbai Mirror v The Secretary, Department of Women

& Child Development Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya,
Mumbai and others.

5. National Association of the Deaf v Union of India (2014) 3

SCC 173.
6. Stanev v Bulgaria [2012] ECHR 46.
7. Shtukaturov v Russia (App no 44009/05) [2008] ECHR 223.
8. Stanev v Bulgaria (App no 36760/06) [2012] ECHR 46.
9. DD v Lithuania (App no 13469/06) [2012] ECHR 254.
10. X and Y v Croatia (App no 13469/06) [2012] ECHR 254.
11. Niemietz v Germany (App no 13710/88) [1992] ECHR 80; 16
EHRR 97, paragraph 29.
12. Kędzior v Poland [2012] ECHR 1796.
13. Thlimmenos v Greece (App no 34369/97) [2000] ECHR 162.

xxvii
xxviii    Table of Cases

14. Jakóbski v Poland (App no 18429/06) [2010] ECHR 1974; 55

EHRR 8.
15. Airey v Ireland (App no 6289/73) [1979] ECHR 3; (1980) 2
EHRR 305.
16. Eweida and Others v United Kingdom (Application nos.
48420/10, 36516/10, 51671/10 and 59842/10) HEJUD
[2013] ECHR 37.
17. ZH v Hungary (App no 28973/11)—Hejud [2012] ECHR
1891, Para 43.
18. Botta v Italy (App no 21439/93) [1998] ECHR 12, paragraph
27.
19. D.G. v Poland (App no 45705/07) HEJUD [2013] ECHR 143
paragraph 176.
20. Price v United Kingdom (App no 33394/96) [2001] ECHR
458.
21. Ritesh Sinha v State of Haryana (2013) 2 SCC 357.
22. Union of India v Jagmohan Singh 2008 (3) SLJ 80.
23. Syed Bashir-ud-din Qadri .. Appellant v Nazir Ahmed Shah
& Ors… Respondents, IN THE SUPREME COURT OF
INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL
NOS.2281–2282 OF 2010 (Arising out of SLP(C)Nos.10669-70
of 2008).
 CHAPTER 1

The Beginnings—The Abuse

and Exploitation

1.1  Introduction
The term ‘children with disabilities’ or ‘special needs’ is generally used
to refer to children up to the age of 18 years, who have ‘long-term phys-
ical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments, which in interaction
with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in
society on an equal basis with others’.1 Such children are generally mar-
ginalized and are often disowned by their families. Some are orphans
and have nobody to look after them. Such children often languish in
government institutions, which are very often poorly equipped, lack
basic infrastructure, are badly managed, and are exploitative. In a sce-
nario where these institutions lack basic facilities, obtaining special care
for the development of mentally challenged children is a pipe dream.
They face discrimination in the form of systemic apathy, lack of adequate
policies and legislation; they are effectively barred from realizing their
rights to healthcare, education, and even protection and survival. They
are less likely to attend school, access medical services, or receive proper
nutrition. Their disabilities also place them at a higher risk of physical
abuse or sexual abuse. Currently, in India, we do not have a comprehen-
sive law, policy, or scheme to address rehabilitation and reintegration of
victims of child sexual abuse in institutions.
1 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 1. https://www.un.org/

development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html
(accessed on November 20, 2017).

© The Author(s) 2018 1

A. Bajpai, From Exploitation to Empowerment,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1718-7_1
2 A. BAJPAI

Intellectual disability (ID) (formerly called mental retardation) is the

most common developmental disability. IDs can be mild or severe.2
Children with more severe forms typically require more support in their
day-to-day work. Children with milder IDs can gain some independent
skills, especially in communities with good teaching and support.3 This
book is a narrative of the journey of access to justice and empowerment
of such intellectually disabled children who were abused in a state aided
shelter home.

1.2  The High Court Intervention

On August 24, 2010, Mumbai Mirror4 reported the death of five intel-
lectually disabled orphan children. The deaths were a result of the mal-
nutrition, neglect, and abuse they endured at a government recognized
and aided home in Thane district, in Maharashtra. Eighteen children
(13 boys, 5 girls) were found living in an unsanitary environment,
disheveled, emaciated, and thoroughly neglected. Further investigation
also revealed a history of physical abuse and sexual assault. They were
locked up in a dingy room, where they ate, slept, and defecated in the
same living area. They hadn’t received any medical attention despite their
evidently failing health.5

2 Robert, G. Voigt, et al. (Ed.). (2015). Developmental and behavioral pediatrics, section

on ‘Developmental and behavioral pediatrics’ (SODBP). American Academy of Pediatrics,

USA. https://shop.aap.org/aap-developmental-and-behavioral-pediatrics-ebook (accessed
on November 20, 2017).
3 Ibid.

4 Mumbai Mirror is a local newspaper in the city of Mumbai, by the Times Group, the

publishers of The Times of India newspaper.

5 Mumbai Mirror correspondent on the horrors of the home the children were rescued

from, ‘It was an extremely disturbing case—five kids had died, five had been locked up in
a room to die, and almost all of them were sexually abused regularly by caretakers. After
the expose, I expected justice for the kids and system to improve. Sadly, the initial response
from state government as well as police was pathetic. Cops investigating the case bungled
up and covered up the crimes. State wasn’t willing to make amends in working of homes
for Mentally Deficient Children (MDC). Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) meant to
keep a check on such homes were ill equipped and did not even have a proper office or
infrastructure to carry out regular inspections. Bombay High Court by taking up the case
suo motu not just ensured justice for the victims at Kavdas and Panvel, but its intervention
will go a long way in rehabilitation of mentally challenged children in other homes as well’.
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/cover-story/no-kidding-over-kids-safe-
ty-hc/articleshow/58074653.cms (accessed on November 20, 2017).
 1 THE BEGINNINGS—THE ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION 3

A division bench of the Mumbai High Court of Hon. Chief Justice

Mohit Shah and Hon. Justice D. Y. Chandrachud took suo moto cogni-
zance of the matter6 and filed PIL.7 Dr. Asha Bajpai, Professor of Law at
the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), was appointed as the amicus
curiae by the High Court.8 The Court stated that:

The issues which have been raised in the present case, would have to be
dealt with by taking immediate action to protract the welfare of children
involved, as well as by issuing systemic directions to the State Government.
The facts which have been stated in the judgment earlier are adequate to
support an inference that the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and
Rules have remained only on paper and that there has been a total failure
of the implementing machinery prescribed under the Act. It appears that it
is only when newspaper articles are published and the court is constrained
to take suomoto cognizance that the authorities have responded by taking
certain measures.9

A FIR10 was filed by the CWC.11 At the request of the Court, Asha
Bajpai, the amicus curiae,12 along with a counselor, Naina Athale, vis-
ited the children. The children were in a state of extreme trauma and
6 Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. 182 of 2010 in the matter of: Article

in Mumbai Mirror v. The Secretary, Department of Women & Child Development,

Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai, and others.
7 In Indian law, PIL means litigation for the protection of the public interest. It is litiga-

tion introduced in a Court of law, not by the aggrieved party but by the Court itself or by
any other private party. It is not necessary, for the exercise of the Court’s jurisdiction, that
the person who is the victim of the violation of his or her right should personally approach
the Court. PIL is the power given to the public by Courts through judicial activism. Dr.
Asha Bajpai, the author, was appointed Amicus Curiae in this case by the High Court and
on her behest, a six-member State Coordination Committee for Child Protection (SCCCP)
was constituted to assess the condition of the other MDC Homes across the State of
Maharashtra.
8 ‘Amicus curiae’ means ‘friend of the court’. In many PILs, the Courts appoint an ami-

cus curiae, to assist them in formulating a viewpoint and to make inquiries and reports.
9 Ibid.

10 A FIR is a written document prepared by the police when they receive information

about the commission of a cognizable offense. It is also one of the most important sup-
portive evidences on which the entire structure of the prosecution case is built-up.
11 CWC is a body constituted by the State Government under the Juvenile Justice (Care

& Protection of Children) Act (JJ Act) to discharge all the responsibilities in relation to
children in need of care and protection.
12 The author of this book, Asha Bajpai, was appointed as an amicus curiae, i.e., friend of

the Court.
4 A. BAJPAI

shock. They required counseling and medical and psychiatric help, as

directed by the Court. The fact that such a violation of child rights
could take place in a city like Mumbai urged the Court to review other
MDC’s Homes in the state and prepare an exhaustive report. Therefore,
a SCCP was constituted.13 Additionally, Divisional Committees were
formed to study the 23 homes in the state where intellectually chal-
lenged children resided.14 The Divisional Committees consisted of child
rights experts, civil society organizations, academicians, medical doc-
tors, and social workers. (List of Divisional Committees) (Annexure 1).
Three research tools were developed to assess the living condi-
tions in the MDC Homes15 in Maharashtra. These exhaustive tools
were designed to enable the Divisional Committees to understand the
quality of administration and care in the various `homes from the per-
spective of the observing Divisional teams, the DWCD officer of the
district, and the Superintendent of the Home. The tools included
notes and pointers to the teams regarding documentation and cross
verification. Specific instructions as to what emergency actions were
to be taken if malnourishment or child sexual abuse were found were
also included (Annexure 2). The Divisional teams went around the 23
homes in Maharashtra and presented the report to the Mumbai High
Court.

13 The six-member committee consisted of child rights experts and leading NGOs

from Mumbai. It included Prof. Asha Bajpai (Chairperson), Dr. Harish Shetty, Ms. Sarita
Shankaran, Mr. Pramod Nigudkar and, Ms. Chitrakala Acharya.
14 The Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD), Government of

Maharashtra, provided the State Committee with a list of 29 MDC Homes in Maharashtra.
Of these, four institutions were listed as ‘not functioning’, one was listed as closed, and in
the case of one home, the government had canceled the registration. There were therefore
six institutions which were non-functional, leaving a total of 23 MDC homes to be visited
across six divisions.
15 MDC Homes means Mentally Deficient Children’s Homes in Maharashtra MDCs

homes. This is the term used by the government for shelter homes in which intellectually
disabled children in need of care and protection are kept.
 1 THE BEGINNINGS—THE ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION 5

1.3   Major Findings from the Status Report

of the Intellectually Disabled Homes for Children
in Maharashtra—A Collective Failure

Children with intellectual and other developmental disabilities in insti-

tutions are generally vulnerable targets for sexual abuse and physical
assault. Sexual assault by persons who are their ‘caretakers’ is a serious
breach of trust for MDC. The children see these institutions as a ‘place
of refuge’. They put complete faith and trust in the ‘Babas’, ‘Pappa’s and
‘Mummy’s’, only to receive abuse, starvation, and even death in return.
What the research teams saw in majority of the intellectually disabled
homes was an abdication of responsibility and dereliction of duty by the
office bearers, including the State, the Department of Women and Child
Development, the CWC, the Inspection Authorities, the State Advisory
Boards and other caretakers of the most vulnerable and marginalized sec-
tion of our society, our MDC. It was a collective failure of the structures
and system.
The findings that emerged from the state-wise study conducted are as
follows:

• At the time of the study in 2011, as many as 20 districts out of the

35 districts in the state did not have any MDC Homes. More signif-
icantly, there was an ad hoc, haphazard distribution of homes across
districts in the state. Some districts had a concentration of Homes,
while several districts in the state did not have a single MDC Home.
The study revealed that several MDC homes did not meet the cri-
teria required to set up the institution in the first place. Only one
MDC Home in the entire state of Maharashtra had received a full
government grant.16
• Twenty-seven percentage of the persons in MDC Homes in
Maharashtra could not be classified as ‘children’ since they were
over the age of 18. In fact, in one MDC Home in an eastern suburb

16 This home gets a full government grant. Staff is paid salaries according to government

scale, repairs, and maintenance are done by the PWD in the state, and facilities such as sup-
ply of warm water are readily available.
6 A. BAJPAI

in Mumbai, nearly 80% of the people living in the institution were

over 18 years of age. Yet, they lived in shelter homes designated
for children. This indicated that once a child was sent to an MDC
Home, there was no plan for a corresponding exit process at the age
of 18. Interestingly, CWC orders for some children clearly said that
children have been sent to the Home ‘for life’. This was a reflection
of the general perception that such children ‘cannot do anything’,
and once sent to a home, would remain there for the rest of their
lives.
• Thirty-nine percentage of the total number of children living in
MDC Homes had one or both parents alive. Options for non-
institutional care services could have been explored for such children.
• A majority of the children (59%) displayed the skills required to care
for themselves—they could eat, bathe, brush their teeth, dress, and
use the toilet independently. This indicated that around 59% of the
children in the institutions could have been educated and trained
with efforts from special educators and occupational therapists and
attempts could be made to socially re-integrate them into society.
• Not a single home anywhere in the state had any systems in place to
deal with cases of child sexual abuse. In fact, there was no awareness
about this issue among the staff and management of the homes. No
staff member was trained to help children who were victims of child
sexual abuse or to enable children to share their experiences and
deal with their trauma.
• There were fewer MDC Homes for girls as compared to boys.
There were twice as many homes for boys as there were for girls.
This statistic indicates the state’s reluctance in caring for girl chil-
dren. It is possible that caring for girl children may require a greater
degree of responsibility, which discourages the authorities from
making such a commitment. In effect, there were very few options
for girls in the state. It appears that the government too has not
taken this fact into account while granting licenses.
• MDC Homes in Maharashtra were being used as hostels. Forty-
three percentage of homes in the state cater to children who live
with their parents but whose families use the MDC Home as a hos-
tel facility, and 39% children in the MDC Homes have one or both
parents alive. The law recommends institutionalziation of a child
as the last resort and only in the event that other non-institutional
rehabilitation options are rendered unavailable. Therefore, children
 1 THE BEGINNINGS—THE ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION 7

who have one or both parents alive are to be supported and enabled
within the community. Instead, in Maharashtra, many children who
have one or both parents alive are left in MDC Homes. This contra-
dicts the very spirit of institutional care as articulated in the law.
• There appeared to be an inadequate understanding and improper
use of IQ tests. The aim of IQ tests for children before they enter
MDC Homes is to enable the staff of the home to understand their
level of disability and devise appropriate methods of engagement
with them. The IQ test needs to be repeated once every two years,
to help the staff monitor a child’s progress. If IQ tests at some stage
reveal that the child has shown improvement, this can facilitate the
child’s movement to a children’s home for those who are not men-
tally disabled. Many children who are sent to MDC Homes are
brought before the CWC in a state of some trauma. It is possible
that IQ tests done at that time are therefore not reflective of the
level of intelligence of the child. Thus, some children with above
borderline intelligence are put into MDC homes simply because at
the time of the test they may have been under emotional duress.
Since IQ tests are not conducted regularly, the results of the one
test done when they are presented before the CWC become set in
stone, sealing the child’s fate. From the MDC home, there is lit-
tle chance of him/her being ever sent to a home for children with
above borderline IQs as no follow-up procedures are in place. This
in turn renders the possibility of reintegration into society at the age
of 18 even bleaker.
• The health and hygiene of the children were matters of grave con-
cern. The nutritional needs were often not met as the homes were
managed poorly. Besides, many of the children needed assistance in
feeding and personal care, and there weren’t enough staff members
to cater to tend to them. This has lead to neglect of the health and
nutritional needs of the children. Several deaths of children have
occurred due to pulmonary tuberculosis, septicemia, hypothyroid-
ism, cardiac arrest, and alleged beatings as well. Due to the distance
of some homes from medical facilities, many children were not
able to get timely medical assistance. The lack of a separate grant
to reimburse medical expenses added pressure on the manage-
ments of the homes. This has resulted in inadequate medical care
for the children. There appeared to be a general impression that
children who are mentally disabled are also likely to be sick and die
8 A. BAJPAI

early. Hence, deaths of children were not investigated sufficiently.

Investigations were carried out flimsily, and the cause of death was
mentioned ambiguously. The home is not held accountable, and
there are no safety mechanisms in place to avoid preventable deaths,
such as those caused by TB, septicemia, and hypothyroidism, which
are clear consequences of negligence and apathy. Many homes also
reported lack of cooperation from civil hospitals. These hospitals
were reluctant to admit the children or provide regular services to
these children.
• Nearly 60% of MDC Homes were managed by trusts that had
no experience of working with children with mental disabilities.
They were neither aware of the rights of the child nor the rights of
the disabled.
• Records of children (CWC orders, IQ records, medical records,
case files) were inadequately maintained across the state. The
homes were very lax in maintaining their paperwork. Most chil-
dren did not have proper case histories or details of where they were
found, which made it very difficult to access medical help as well.
Almost no attempts seem to have been made to trace the parents of
the children.
• Basic infrastructure not in place in a majority of homes. Many
of these homes are run in rented premises which are not designed
to function as children’s institutions. Hence, they lack basic infra-
structure. Nobody seems to have thought of the needs of the chil-
dren with mental and physical disabilities as per the disability laws
of the country. Easy access to facilities like toilets, bathrooms, and
sleeping area is crucial to developing children’s skills to manage self-
care independently. However, ramps, European toilets, wheelchairs,
railings, etc., were conspicuous in their absence. Many of these chil-
dren being profoundly retarded also needed support for basic func-
tions. The bedding arrangements in place were built according to
the convenience of the staff members, and not according to the
needs of the children.

No Right to Play for the children in MDC Homes in Maharashtra.

Most staff members did not seem to believe that these children could
also play games or be involved in constructive activities. They did not
have enough resources for indoor or outdoor games. Some positive
examples of homes which enable children to develop varying recreational
interests are:
 1 THE BEGINNINGS—THE ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION 9

• Children in the MDC Home in Mumbai had a cricket team and a

theater group. Some girls were being trained in archery and were
taken for a national level tournament.
• Children in the MDC Home for girls spend time gardening, caring
for animals, and learning how to play musical instruments.
• Some homes run special schools with grants from the Social Justice
Department. As a result, the children had access to education.
There is a need for more such efforts.
• The Right to Education and training for children in MDC
Homes in Maharashtra is violated. Fifty-six percentage of chil-
dren in the MDC Homes in the state do not go to school. Only
9% of MDC Homes made an attempt to teach children vocational
skills. It is generally accepted that intellectually disabled chil-
dren cannot be trained. While this is true of the large number of
severely or profoundly disabled children, the rest of the children
can be trained to a certain extent. However, this needs specialized
skills and constant follow-up. But many of the mildly intellectually
disabled children also had no access to educational training. Even
those who could be trained did not receive much input. Majority
of the homes did not have any vocational training or skill-building
activities. The government too had not reflected upon the need for
sheltered workshops/institutions to rehabilitate adult intellectually
disabled persons.

As per the law, inspection visits must be done regularly by the

Department of Women and Child officers, the CWC members, and
District Child Protection officers. But in reality, monitoring and inspec-
tion visits by DWCD officers were sporadic. In the absence of any pro-
tocol in the matter, these visits were conducted in an ad hoc manner.
All reports seemed to be written only as a formality, with no details
mentioned about the quality of care in the home. Children in all homes
seem to be tutored to give rehearsed responses to questions on sexual
abuse. For instance, one standard response (as per the DWCD reports)
is ‘Amcha var laingik atyachar hot nahin’ (‘We are not sexually abused’).
The DWCD officers do not make any attempts to build a rapport with
the children or talk to them in the absence of staff members. DWCD
officers did not find any anomalous behavior or irregularities in MDC
homes. According to them, all homes were functioning satisfactorily and
appropriate documentation was in place. No action was taken against
any home despite several instances of non-compliance. In one home, the
10 A. BAJPAI

DWCD noted that they were not provided with the case files and regis-
ters. Yet, they did not take any action against the home. The reports did
not reflect any of the insights or comments of the DWCD on the health
and development of the children. It appeared that the case files were not
examined at all. The nefarious nexus between the managements of MDC
Homes and the DWCD seemed obvious.
The CWCs play a critical role in matters concerning the well-being
of children with mental disabilities, but they generally work part time
and on a contractual basis. Many of them were political appointees and
had no idea about child rights or juvenile justice. Across the state, CWCs
had little accountability to children with mental disabilities. They were
largely unaware of their roles and responsibilities. There were instances
of child labor and corporal punishment which are against the law, but no
action was taken. The staff was not recruited as per the recruitment crite-
ria mandated by the state. Only one home in the entire state had a code
of conduct in place that employees were expected to sign at the time of
joining the home. With the exception of a couple of shelter homes, no
other establishment in the state had the facilities, staff, or commitment
required to cater to the special development needs of children with men-
tal disabilities. As a result, only the basic needs of children—food, cloth-
ing, shelter—were taken care of. The primary requirement of all human
beings, to grow and develop to their full potential, was therefore entirely
neglected. This amounted to yet another violation of the rights of the
children who were in the care and protection of the state.
Children who are orphaned and mentally disabled need the care and
protection of the State. The notion that the Superintendent of each
home is the custodian of the children is a matter of irony, as it was
found that most Superintendents were unqualified and often uncaring of
their wards. Many of them were temporary or contractual, unqualified,
untrained, and several of them had alternate occupations/businesses.
The recent stories of horrific exploitation and neglect that emerged
from MDC Homes in Thane, Panvel, and Aurangabad highlight a sig-
nificant gap between the legislative framework and the ability of the
implementing and regulating systems to deliver on their promises. This
occurred because of failures of systems and policy, of management and
administration, as well as of institutions and personnel who were con-
cerned with inspection and monitoring, particularly the CWC and the
DWCD. The structures under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Projection
 1 THE BEGINNINGS—THE ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION 11

of Children) Act 2000 were not set up, and if they were, they did not
respond. This report also revealed that in several parts of Maharashtra,
the primary bodies responsible for the safety and welfare of disabled chil-
dren (the DWCD and CWC) either collude in exploitation, thereby pre-
senting the farce of being child friendly, or simply do not perform.
The then Juvenile Justice system and other allied systems, like educa-
tion, health, disability, and law enforcement, did not seem to be capable
of responding to the needs of special children and were not equipped
to address the challenges of these special children. Intellectually chal-
lenged children need highly specialized care and attention. This would
require convergence between DWCD and other departments, like the
Commissionerate for Disability, for bringing in special services for the
care of these children. The majority of NGOs that were running these
homes also failed in providing care and protection to the children. The
DWCD and CWCs had not performed their roles either. Only basic
food, clothing, and shelter were being provided to the children, and
some homes were being run without even these bare basics.
This status report of MDC Homes in Maharashtra was submitted to
the Mumbai High Court. It had state-wise, region-wise, and home-wise
recommendations. The Court based several of its directions on the rec-
ommendations given in this report. As per the recommendations of the
Committee, the HC directed that all the 35 rescued children be housed
at a different MDC home. There were no concrete plans for their reha-
bilitation or social reintegration in the MDC Home. The Committee
submitted a proposal to the government, carrying budgetary recommen-
dations for the rehabilitation of the children. The government approved
a paltry amount which was rejected, and additional funds were raised.
It was under these circumstances that Chunauti17 took birth as a field
action project, under the aegis of the TISS, Mumbai.18 The project
included the 35 rescued children along with all other minor children that
were residing in the state-funded MDC Home.

17 Chunauti means ‘challenge’.

18 TISS is a premier institution of higher education that takes pride in its history of respond-
ing to changing social realities through the development and application of knowledge,
toward creating a people-centered, ecologically sustainable, and just society that promotes and
protects dignity, equality, social justice, and human rights for all. See: www.tiss.edu.
12 A. BAJPAI

Chunauti, an evidence-based practice model, is an endeavor to cre-

ate a set of interventions and develop a paradigm that helps orphaned,
institutionalized, and intellectually challenged children to be socially
reintegrated. It was aimed at empowering children with intellectual dis-
abilities to understand abuse in its various forms, overcome the trauma
of being abused and exploited by their caregivers, and work toward their
rehabilitation and social reintegration. It uses a rights-based approach
to work with the children. It is a multi-stakeholder approach to ensure
that intellectually challenged children have access to all their rights and
entitlements.
 CHAPTER 2

Working with Partners,

Stakeholders and Systems

For advocacy and interventions at various levels, Project Chunauti had

to work with various systems, stakeholders, and partners. It used a child
rights-based, multi-stakeholder approach to ensure that the intellectually
challenged children have access to all their rights and entitlements. It had
to work with the legal system, governance, administrative systems, and
with various civil society partners and stakeholders.
The legal system of India is the set of laws and the ways in which they
are interpreted and enforced. Legal rights are those bestowed onto a per-
son by a given legal system. The Constitution of India is the basic law
on which the entire legal system is based. Every disabled child has the
right to special care and assistance adapted to his/her condition and to
that of his/her parents’, or of the ones he/she has been entrusted with.
National and international laws mandate that the state must guarantee
to the disabled child a full, decent life, and living conditions which guar-
antee dignity, promote autonomy, and facilitate active participation in
community life. The ultimate goal is the child’s fullest individual devel-
opment, rehabilitation, and social integration. A child with disabilities
has a right to recovery, rehabilitation, and integration so that his per-
sonality may develop properly. The legal framework in India that applies
to children with disability, including intellectual disability, includes both
national and international laws.

© The Author(s) 2018 13

A. Bajpai, From Exploitation to Empowerment,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1718-7_2
14 A. BAJPAI

The Constitution of India accords rights to all children including disa-

bled children, as citizens of the country, and in keeping with their special
status, the state can even enact special laws (article 15(3)). The special
rights to children include:

• Article 21A guarantees the ‘Right to free and compulsory elemen-

tary education for all children in the 6-14 years age group’.
• Article 24 guarantees the ‘Right to be protected from any hazard-
ous employment till the age of 14 years’.
• Article 39(e) guarantees the ‘Right to be protected from being
abused and forced by economic necessity to enter occupations
unsuited to their age or strength’.
• Article 39(f) further guarantees the ‘Right to equal opportunities and
facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of free-
dom and dignity and guaranteed protection of childhood and youth
against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment’.
• Article 45 guarantees the ‘Right to early childhood care and educa-
tion to all children until they complete the age of six years’.

Besides, under the Constitution of India, children also have rights as

equal citizens of India, just as any other adult male or female:

• Right to equality (Article 14)

• Right against discrimination (Article 15)
• Right to personal liberty and due process of law (Article 21)
• Right to being protected from being trafficked and forced into
bonded labour (Article 23)
• Right of minorities for protection of their interests (Article 29)
• Right of weaker sections of the people to be protected from social
injustice and all forms of exploitation (Article 46)
• Right to nutrition and standard of living and improved public
health (Article 47)

India has signed and ratified the Convention on Rights of the Child
(CRC)1 and the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities

1 UN General Assembly, Convention on the Rights of the Child, New York, November

20, 1989, United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, p. 3 http://www.refworld.org/

docid/3ae6b38f0.html (accessed November 20, 2017). India ratified the CRC in 1992.
 2 WORKING WITH PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND SYSTEMS 15

(CRPD)2. Ratification of a convention or a treaty makes it binding upon

the states which then adopt the international obligations into domestic
legal systems.3 Article 44 of the CRPD is a key provision to fully under-
stand the obligations that State Parties have undertaken by ratifying the
Convention, as the norm defines the scope of these obligations and their
legal nature. More generally, the content of Article 4 is strictly linked
with the mandatory character of the norms arising from treaties and their
implementation at the domestic level. A universal obligation to imple-
ment the CRPD and to ensure its enjoyment by people with disabilities
is imposed on States Parties by the norms of general international law
codified in the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.5
Even in the absence of express enactment on specific legal obliga-
tions, the Courts in India have taken cognizance of the rights through
judicial pronouncements, most impactful of them being Visakha v State
of Rajasthan.6 In that case, the Court was concerned with the protec-
tion to be afforded to workingwomen from sexual harassment at the
workplace so as to make their fundamental rights meaningful. Relying
upon Articles 14, 15, 19 (1)(g) of the Constitution, the Court observed
that ‘any international convention not inconsistent with the fundamen-
tal rights and in harmony with this spirit must be read into these provi-
sions to enlarge the meaning and content thereof to promote the object of
the constitutional guarantee’. Article 517 enables the Parliament to enact

2 UN General Assembly, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Resolution

Adopted by the General Assembly, A/RES/61/106 (January 24, 2007), http://www.ref-

world.org/docid/45f973632.html (accessed November 20, 2017).
3 Art. 2 (1) (b), 14 (1) and 16, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969.

‘The law of treaties is the body of rules which govern what is a treaty, how it is made
and brought into force, amended, terminated, and generally operates’, available at http://
opil.ouplaw.com/view/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e1498
(accessed December 2, 2017).
4 According to Article 4, ‘States Parties must undertake to ensure and promote the full

realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities
without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability’.
5 V. Della Fina, R. Cera, & G. Palmisano (Eds.). (2017). The United Nations Convention

on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Springer.

6 Vishaka v State of Rajasthan (1997) 6 SCC 241. In this case, the Court was concerned

with the protection to be afforded to working women from sexual harassment at the work-
place so as to make their fundamental rights meaningful.
7 According to Article 51, ‘The State shall endeavour to (a) promote international peace

and security; (b) maintain just and honourable relations between nations; (c) foster respect
16 A. BAJPAI

laws for implementing international conventions and norms. Article

253,8 read with entry 14 of the Union List in the Seventh Schedule to
the Constitution, and Article 739 are also relevant in this regard. Hence,
when there is an urgent need for legislative action or reform, the execu-
tive power of the government is a legitimate substitute for parliamentary
legislation. The Court in Vishakha case also relied upon the Convention
on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (which
had been ratified by the Government of India in 1993 though with cer-
tain reservations).
India has enacted the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2016
(RPWD) to meet its obligations under the UNCRPD,10 and the Act
guarantees full and effective participation and inclusion in society for per-
sons with disability. The Act guarantees the Right to Legal Capacity for
all persons with disability and removes the impediments from contracting
or entering into valid legal relationships.11 This ensures that disabled per-
sons are equipped with the skill and ability to live a complete and fruitful
life. In the PIL 182/2010,12 the Court stressed that the duty to estab-
lish and maintain children’s homes in each district is constructed under

for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised peoples with one
another; and encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration’.
8 According to Article 253, ‘Legislation for giving effect to international agreements.

Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this chapter, Parliament has power
to make any law for the whole or any part of the territory of India for implementing any
treaty, agreement or convention with any other country or countries or any decision made
at any international conference, association or other body’.
9 Article 73 states that ‘the executive power of the Union shall extend to matters with

respect to which Parliament has power to make laws’.

10 Preamble, Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 (RPWD). The Rights of

Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, Gazette of India (Extra-Ordinary); December 28,
2016, available from http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/uploaad/uploadfiles/files/
RPWD/ACT/2016.pdf, available at http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/upload-
files/files/RPWD%20ACT%202016.pdf (accessed May 30, 2018).
11 Section 13, RPWD 2016 states that, ‘The appropriate Government shall ensure that

the persons with disabilities have right, equally with others, to own or inherit property,
movable or immovable, control their financial affairs and have access to bank loans, mort-
gages and other forms of financial credit’.
12 In Re Articles in Mumbai Mirror 2017 SCC Online Bom 418, Para 27, available at

http://bombayhighcourt.nic.in/.
 2 WORKING WITH PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND SYSTEMS 17

Section 34(1) of the JJ Act13 as a dilatory duty. However, in light of

Article 39 and 21A of the Constitution, it becomes a mandatory obliga-
tion of the state. Similarly, the rights guaranteed in the RPWD Act when
read in consonance with the Article 3914 of the Constitution could be
read as mandatory provisions.
In India, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, has been
enacted to replace the old legislation.15 However, the jurisprudence
arising out of the old PWD 1995 Act can help us in understanding the
nature of state’s obligation toward persons with disability. In Ranjit
Kumar Rajak v State Bank of India,16 the Bombay High Court con-
sidered the case of an applicant to the post of a probationary office in the
State Bank of India. He was declared medically unfit due to him under-
going a renal transplant in 2004, and therefore, he was denied the post.
He challenged his dismissal from the post, contending that he was fit to
perform his duties.
The bank stated, among other things, that by the governing rules,
the bank was required to reimburse the medical expenses incurred by

13 Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (JJ Act). The Act has not

been replaced with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
14 Article 39, as a Directive Principle, states that ‘it shall be the duty of the state to ensure

that the children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner, in
conditions of freedom and dignity, and that childhood and youth are protected against
exploitation and against moral and material abandonment’.
15 In 1992, India adopted the Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of

People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region. As a signatory of this proclama-
tion, India’s Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs proposed an act to safe guard
the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD). On January 1, 1996, the Government of
India passed the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and
Full Participation) Act 1995 (PWD). In this act, disability is defined as blindness, low
vision, leprosy-cured, hearing impairment, loco-motor disability, mental retardation, and
mental illness. The Act calls for the forming of two central committees and two state com-
mittees came into force on February 7, 1996. The Act provides for both the preventive and
promotional aspects of rehabilitation like education, employment and vocational training,
reservation, research and manpower development, creation of barrier-free environment,
rehabilitation of persons with disability, unemployment allowance for the disabled, special
insurance scheme for the disabled employees, and establishment of homes for persons with
severe disability. This Act was repealed by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.
RPWD Act was notified on December 28, 2016, after receiving the presidential assent, See
http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/PWD_Act.pdf (accessed May
30, 2018).
16 (2009) 5 Bom CR 227.
18 A. BAJPAI

bank officers and if it employed Rajak, such expenses would be too high
to borne by the bank. The Court discussed provisions of the CRPD at
length. The Court cited Article 27 of the Convention which recognizes
the right to work and employment and obligates State Parties to take
appropriate steps detailed under the provision. Further, the Court also
referred to the definition of ‘reasonable accommodation’ under Article 2.
Recognizing that there was no law based on the CRPD, the Court incor-
porated ‘reasonable accommodation’17 under Articles 14, 16, and Article
21 of the Constitution and held,

‘The law is now well settled that though the United Nations Conventions may
not have been enacted into the Municipal Law, as long as the Convention
is not in conflict with the Municipal Law and can be read into Article 2
thus making it enforceable. Therefore, in the absence of any conflict it is pos-
sible to read the test of reasonable accommodation in employment contract.
Reasonable accommodation, if read into Article 21, based on the U.N
Protocol, would not be in conflict with Municipal law. It would give added
life and dimension to the ever expanding concept of life and its true enjoy-
ment’. Following this, the Court found no evidence of undue financial
burden on the bank in providing reasonable accommodation to Rajak and
directed the bank to appoint him for the post.

By this judgment, Article 21 of the Constitution of India has been fur-

ther expanded to include the concept of reasonable accommodation
that implies that for a qualified employee, there should be assistance or
changes to a position or workplace that will enable that employee to do
his or her job despite having a disability. This concept can help any quali-
fied disabled to do their job efficiently.
In National Association of the Deaf v Union of India,18 the Delhi
High Court heard a public interest petition complaining of inadequate
sign language interpreters in public services. The Court held ‘The United
Nations Convention on the Rights of persons with disabilities adopted by the
General Assembly and ratified by the Govt. of India on 1st October, 2007

17 According to Article 2 of the CRPD, ‘reasonable accommodation’ means ‘neces-

sary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or

undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the
enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental
freedoms’.
18 (2014) 3 SCC 173.
 2 WORKING WITH PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND SYSTEMS 19

also provides for taking appropriate measures to provide forms of live assis-
tance and intermediaries including guides, readers and professional Sign
Language Interpreters to facilitate accessibility to buildings and other facil-
ities open to the public. Needless to state that all the said rights are composite
part of life enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution of India’. Following
this, it issued detailed directions for making sign language interpreters
available in public services.
It was with the support of above national and international legal
framework, the Courts, the enforcement agencies, the civil society organ-
izations and other stake holders and partners that the Chunauti team
undertook the journey toward rehabilitation, deinstitutionalization,
independent living, social reintegration, and empowerment.

2.1   Major Concepts

As part of our work in the project, we also operationalized various con-
cepts, many of which do not have standard definitions. The major con-
cepts are explained below:

2.1.1   Intellectual Disability

The term intellectual disability has been used in this document as
opposed to mental retardation. There are IQ-based definitions of men-
tal retardation, which consider a person with an IQ less than 70 to be
mentally retarded.19 The Census 2011 uses a more capacity-based under-
standing of mental retardation.20 It does not define ‘mental retardation’
as definitely measurable but more as difficulties encountered by the

19 Rehabilitation Council of India. (n.d.). Menatal Retardation. Retrieved December 30,

2017, from rehabcouncil.nic.in: http://www.rehabcouncil.nic.in/writereaddata/mr.pdf.

(accesed on May 12, 2018).
20 Government of India. (2017). Disabled Persons in India, a Statistical Profile 2016. New

Delhi: Social Statistics Division, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Chapter 2 of the above document uses the definition of mental retardation as per the
Census 2011, as below:
Lacks understanding/comprehension as compared to her/his own age group; or
Is unable to communicate her/his needs when compared to other persons of her/his age group; or
Has difficulty in doing daily activities; or
Has difficulty in understanding routine instructions; or
Has extreme difficulty in making decisions, remembering things or solving problems
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
jotka aikovat perustaa erityisen yhtiökaupan, meille siirtymään. Tästä
voisi olla enempi hyötyä kuin juomatavarakaupasta, jonka hyödyn
Saarela liioittelee.

— Usko nyt miten tahdot, sanoin.

— Ja luota Renforsin matkueesen, lisäsi Helander. Minä kuitenkin

hyvin vähän luotan periaatteisiin, silloin kun on kaupasta kysymys.
Jokainen ostaa sieltä mistä saa huokeammalla ja parasta. Minun
ehdotukseni siis onkin, että myöntioikeudet haetaan, ja vasta
tuonnempana päätetään niitten käyttämisestä, että Nurhosten on
maksettava osuudestaan täysi hinta, ja että Selimin ja muitten
apulaisten palvelukseen ottaminen jätetään yksinomaan liikkeen
hoitajan asiaksi.

Asplund sanoi, jos näin päätetään, täytyvänsä erota yhtiöstä ja

esitteli omaansa ja Nurhosten osuutta meidän ostettavaksi.

— Silloin me perustamme uuden oman kauppamme, lisäsi

Nurhonen uhottelevasti.

Helanderin kärsivällisyys loppui. Hän käveli kiivaasti lattialla ja

puhui kovalla äänellä. Rohkeilla väreillä kuvasi ja kertoi hän, mitenkä
hänkin oli tähän yhtiöön joutunut ja mistä tilasta liike oli pelastettu. Ja
nyt, kun tähän on kiinni kietoutunut, sotkette te kaikki asiat ja
osoitatte kiitollisuuttanne tekemällä jatkuvan yhteistoiminnan
mahdottomaksi, sanoi hän. Miestä vastaan, jota menestyksestä
melkein yksinomaan on kiittäminen, te rettelöitte ja kaikellaisine
mahdottomine vaatimuksinenne laitatte sietämättömän välin
itsellemme. Kun näin teette ja paitsi muuta laitatte meidät kaikkien
kaupunkilaisten naurun esineeksi puheinenne omista kaupoistanne
ja muista typeryyksistänne, niin olkaa sitten myöskin miehet
vapauttamaan toiset näistä kahleista.

Hän vaikeni. Asplund selitti ettei hänellä ole mitään osaa

kaupungilla kiertävään juttuun Nurhosten omasta kaupasta.
Sellainen juttu oli saanut alkunsa Johnin lapsellisista puheista, joita
hänkään ei hyväksynyt.

— Omasta puolestani en ollenkaan välitä teidän menettelystänne,

jatkoi Helander Asplundin selitystä kuulematta. Minä tästä kyllä
pääsen erilleni.

Sitten kertoi hän olevansa hakenut erästä virkaa toisella

paikkakunnalla, jotenkin varmasti sen saavansa ja puolen vuoden
päästä täältä muuttavansa.

— Silloin täytyy teidän ostaa minun osuuteni, jos ei Saarela siitä

huoli. Ja jos ette sitä tee, niin myön sen vaikka huutokaupalla kenelle
tahansa.

Tästä hänen muuttoaikeestaan emme kukaan tietäneet ja se

vaikutti kaikkiin hämmästyttävästi. Jäimme pitkäksi aikaa
sanattomiksi.

— Asiain näin ollessa, sanoin viimein minä, teen samalla tavalla.

Yksinäni en tähän seuraan jää.

— Mutta eihän meissä ainakaan ole teidän molempien osuuden

ostajaa, sanoi Asplund hiljaisella äänellä, eikähän me kyetä
takausasioitakaan järjestämään, jos Helander ne jättää. Enkä minä
puolestani muutenkaan haluaisi enempää näihin kauppa-asioihin
sekaantua.
 — Ostakoot sitten Nurhoset niillä Sairan rahoilla.

— Eivät ne siihen riitä.

— Silloin ei auta muu kuin myödä sille, joka tästä pesästä

pelastaa.

— Kovin ikäväähän tuo olisi Nurhosillekin, jos osuudet aivan

tuntemattomien vieraitten käsiin joutuisivat, sanoi Asplund.

— Sille minä en mitään voi, vastasi Helander. Teillä on asiat

järjestyksessä, mutta kun ne tahdotte sotkea, niin sotkekaa.

— Ettekö te voi suostua meidän esityksiimme? kysyi Asplund.

— Emme.

— Mahdoton meidänkin on teidän osuuksianne ostaa.

Helander jatkoi kävelyään.

— Sitten ei löytyne muuta keinoa kuin ilmoittaa koko liike

myötäväksi, sanoin minä.

— Jätetään asiat hoitamatta ja annetaan mennä konkurssiin, niin

tottapahan siten päästään erillemme, sanoi Helander, otti hattunsa ja
läksi pois, minun lisätessä:

— Siihen onkin hyvä tilaisuus. Kahva on jo sanonut irti lainansa,

luultavasti näitä rettelöitä ja teidän uusia omia kauppojanne peläten.

Helanderin mentyä emme me toiset sanaakaan keskenämme

puhuneet. Minä poistuin konttorista toisiin huoneisiin ja viivyttelin
siellä kunnes Asplund ja Nurhonen olivat lähteneet.
 Ajeluretkemme oli pari päivää tämän kokouksen jälkeen, enkä sillä
välillä ollut Asplundia nähnyt. Hän oli rouvineen pyydetty
seuraamme, mutta he eivät olleet saapuneet.

Näitä asioita kerroin minä Hilmalle matkallamme. Hyvien välien

takaisin palaamisen toivon kuvittelin lopullisesti itsestäni hävinneen
ja selitin pikaisen paikkakunnalta poistumiseni välttämättömyydeksi.
Pidin itseäni loukattuna ja olin uhkamielinen, samalla kun minua
vaivasi sisällinen, kauvan pidätetty tunne, jonka nyt, kun kaikki
unelmat olivat särkyneet, kaikki salaiset toiveet osoittautuneet
mahdottomiksi, halusin antaa virrata ulos kuin suletun ilman
särkyneestä kumipallosta. Päätin tällä matkalla tunnustaa tunteeni,
sanoa kuin viimeisenä hyvästinä mitä mielessäni on ollut. Ja silloin
olisi minun osani loppuun näytelty.

Kuta pitemmälle paluumatka kului, sitä levottomammaksi tunsin

itseni, kunnes tätä mäkeä noustessa pakottauduin puhumaan, kuin
pahaa tehnyt lapsi anteeksi pyytämään. Oltuani hetkisen henkeäni
pidätellen vaiti, sanoin viimein kurkkuun tarttuvalla, vastaan
ponnistuksistani huolimatta värähtelevällä äänellä:

— Kuulehan Hilma!

— No? vastasi hän, huomattavasti aavistaen mille alalle

keskustelumme oli siirtymässä.

— Ennenkuin minä jätän tämän kaupungin, täytyy minun

tunnustaa sinulle jotain.

— Mitä se olisi? kysyi hän hiljaisella, myöskin värähtelevällä

äänellä.
 Mutta sen pitemmälle oli minun vaikea sanoa, ja melkein
huomaamattani poikkesin vielä tunnustukseni seurauksia ennakolta
lieventämään.

— Älä vaan väärin ymmärrä minua, sanoin.

Hän oli hetkisen vastaamatta, ja kysyi sitten hiljaa:

— Mitä sinulla siis olisi sanottavaa?

Silmänräpäyksellinen ajatusteni kokous, kosketus liipasimeen, ja

laukausta oli mahdoton estää.

— Minä olen, suoraan sanoen, kauvan ollut sinuun rakastunut —

— älä nyt hämmästy, en minä kosi — — mutta minä en voi olla sitä
sanomatta, minun täytyy tämä salaisuuteni paljastaa, toivoen siten
parempaa rauhaa mielelleni ja tunteilleni — —

Olimme kauvan vaieten. Viimein tartuin minä hänen käteensä,

pusersin sitä ja kysyin:

— Onko sinulla mitään minulle sanottavaa?

Hänellä oli kyyneleet silmissään kun hän vastasi, antaen kätensä

olla minun kädessäni:

— Mitäpä minä siihen osaan sanoa — — olenhan minä sen

huomannut, samoin kuin sinäkin kyllä olet — —

Hän ei saanut enempää sanotuksi. Eikä me jälellä olevalla

matkalla puhuttu sanaakaan muuta kuin että hän kaupunkiin
tultuamme pyysi eroamaan muitten joukosta ja ajamaan hänen
kotiinsa. Kaikkien oli tarkoitus vielä kokoontua Löfbergilään.
 — Hyvästi!

— Hyvästi!

Minäkin menin kotiini, sydän kiehuvana, levotonna. Miten suloinen

tunne olisi mahtanut olla kuulla hänen jatkavan lausettaan: "samoin
kuin sinäkin kyllä olet — — —" Nyt sen sijaan olivat tuskani
suuremmat kuin jos en ollenkaan olisi puhunut, sillä minä olin
kadottanut toivoni. Miksi piti minun esittää asia siinä muodossa,
ajattelin, ettei hän voinut siihen vastata, suoraan sanoa
sanottavaansa hänkin. Se olisi jäänyt surumieliseksi, vaan samalla
tunnerikkaaksi muistoksi näiltä ajoilta. Tahi olisi se voinut muuttaa
kaikki muutkin asiat hyväksi jälleen, joko niin tahi näin päin. Olisin
varmaan saanut rauhallisemman mielen.

Mutta nyt luulin minä kaikki tässä kaupungissa pidättävät siteeni

olevan katkottuja. Häviämisemme toisten joukosta herättää tietysti
huomiota, he arvaavat syyn, ja minun on mahdoton enää käydä
Löfbergilässäkään, ajattelin. Päättelin mahdollisimman pian
puhdistaa paikkakunnan tomun jaloistani. Mutta rauhoitusta ei
sekään ajatus tuonut. Loioin sohvallani ja puhuin ääneeni kuin
mielipuoli, kuin näyttelijä osaansa harjoitellen. Valitsin sanoja ja
muotoja, miten minun olisi pitänyt tunteeni tulkita, ja asetin
vastaukset Hilman suuhun. Mutta samalla kun todellisuuden muistin,
hypähdin raivostuneena seisomaan.

Näitä kaikkia minä tänä iltana maantien varrella istuissani

muistelin. Mikä omituinen yhtäläisyys elämässäni silloin ja nyt.
Tunteeni ovat levottomat nytkin, ja ovat ne samoja toivottoman
tunteita kun silloinkin. Nytkään ei minulla ole mitään tulevaisuutta, ei
mitään kiintopistettä edessäni, johonka jotain voisin keskittää ja
kohdistaa. Ja kumminkin on minussakin elävä ihminen omine
toiveineni ja haluineni. Voi, miksi niin on!

Jos olisin tuon kysymyksen tehnyt suoremmassa muodossa ja

saanut siihen toivomani vastauksen, mitenkähän silloin olisivat kaikki
muutkin asiani!

Mitenkähän?
XIV.

Heinäkuun 18 p.

Olen täällä asunnossani tarkkuudella seurannut myöskin

paikkakunnan lehtiä, mutta ei niissä, ainakaan nyt kesällä, näytä
olevan mitään entistä eloisuutta muistuttavaa. Täti Löfbergin kanssa
lienevät harrastuksetkin hautautuneet, tahi ovat ne muuttaneet
muotoaan.

On kuitenkin hauskaa seurata näistä lehdistä pieniä uutisia,

yksinpä ilmoituksiakin. Useat niistä puhuvat tutuista henkilöistä,
vieläpä tutuista asioistakin.

Tänään esimerkiksi huomasin ilmoituksen, jossa osakeyhtiö

Nurhosen jälk. & Kumpp. etsivät puotilaista. Omituisesti se nimi aina
silmiini sattuu.

Niin, osakeyhtiöksihän liike jo minun aikanani muodostui. Kun

huomattiin, ettei sitä entisellään voinut jatkaa, ryhdyttiin tositoimiin
omistajain eron mahdolliseksi saattamiseksi. Kaupan realiseeraus
tahi vieraalle myöminen ei ollut ajateltavissa, ja vararikko joko nyt
tahi vastaisuudessa oli vaarallinen jo senkin vuoksi, että yhtiö, ollen
persoonallinen, samalla olisi vienyt omistajansa yksityisestikin
konkurssiin. Helander sen vuoksi ryhtyi muodostamaan liikettä
osakeyhtiöksi, kuten hän sanoi, etupäässä kahdesta syystä, koska
silloin saa yksityisomaisuutensa liikkeen asioista riippumattomaksi,
ja kun osakkeita on helpompi muille luovuttaa ja siten päästä
kaikesta erilleen. Myöskin Asplundin ja Nurhosen, jotka viimeisen
yhtiökokouksen jälkeen olivat olleet hätääntyneitä ja neuvottomia, sai
hän tuumaan yhtymään. Suostuipa Asplund siihenkin, että
juomakauppaoikeudet edelleenkin anottiin, kunnes uusi yhtiö
muodostuttuaan niitten käyttämisestä päättäisi. Muut
ylimenovaikeudet olivat kyllä suurenlaisia, varsinkin laina-asiain
järjestäminen, mutta ne saatiin kuitenkin kuntoonsa, kun Helander
suostui edelleenkin olemaan useissa asioissa takausmiehenä.
Tehtailija Kahvan irtisanoma laina maksettiin laivuri Sairan Nurhosille
lainaamilla rahoilla, jonka summan edestä yhtiö luovutti heille
osakkeita.

Entisen yhtiön asema arvosteltiin, ja jokainen meistä neljästä sai

osuutensa arvoa vastaavan määrän osakkeita. Vaikeutta yritti
muodostumaan ainoastaan sen takia, kun Asplund yhä edelleenkin
halusi nuorille Nurhosille annettavaksi saman määrän osakkeita kuin
meillekin samasta hinnasta, jonka me jo seitsemän vuotta takaperin
olimme maksaneet. Kun Helander ja minä emme tähän suostuneet,
myöntyi viimein Asplundikin meihin, sanoen alakuloisesti:

— No niin, voinhan minä sitä myöten kun kykenen siirtää heille

omia osakkeitani.

Johon Helander vastasi:

— Minä myön kyllä minun osakkeeni alle arvonsa, kunhan vaan

saan takaisin maksamani rahat kohtuullisine korkoineen. Mutta
yhtiön sellaisenaan täytyy harjoittaa puolueetonta oikeutta.
 Osakeyhtiön perustamishommissa meni aikaa useampia
kuukausia, jolla aikaa Helander myöskin valmisteli paikkakunnalta
muuttoaan. Hän kauppasi minulle osakkeitaan edullisilla ehdoilla,
maksettaviksi pienemmissä osissa pitemmän ajan kuluessa.

— Ota sinä ne vaan, sanoi hän, pysy paikallasi ja pidä puoliasi

kuin mies. Minä tarvitsen vapaat kädet toisella paikkakunnalla.

En uskaltanut siihen suostua, vaikka mieli tekikin. Mutta kun sitten

Asplund esitteli että jakaisimme ne John Nurhosen kanssa, niin
suostuimme kaikki yksimielisesti kauppaan. Näytti kuin välit olisivat
parantuneet ja varsinkin Asplund lähestyi minua taas entistä
luottamusta muistuttavalla tavalla. Toimintamme jatkui vanhaan,
vaikka tosin keskenäisesti suletumpaan tapaan. Varsinainen
innostus puuttui, tai oli kuin sekin odottaisi varmempaa pohjaa taas
täyteen vauhtiin puhjetakseen.

Väliaikaiseen osakeyhtiömme johtokunnan vaaliin otti vielä

Helanderkin osaa. Minut valittiin yksimielisesti toimeenpanevaksi
johtajaksi. Mutta pian sen jälkeen välit taas kiristyivät erään
liikkeemme ulkopuolella olleen tapauksen johdosta.

Kaupungin liikemiehet jättivät valtuuskunnalle jo kauvemman

aikaa valmistelemansa ehdotuksen laivasataman laajentamisesta.
Allekirjoittajien joukossa olin minäkin. Molemmat sanomalehdet
vastustivat ehdotusta tarpeettomana ja suotta kunnan varoja
nielevänä. Minä julkaisin Uudessa Ajassa nimelläni vastineen, jossa
ihmettelin, mitenkä lehti, jonka toimittaja itse on kauppias, voi olla
tiedoton tästä todellisesti liikemiehiä rasittavasta ahtaudesta. Lehti
vastasi että toimittaja on kauppiaanaolo aikanaan tullut
huomaamaan tämän ammattikunnan kaikki asiansa liioittelevan,
vaan omia etujaan ajavan ja vähät yleisestä hyvästä välittävän.
Kansalainen ilkkui polemiikillemme ja kaupunkilaisissa herätti se
huomiota ja aiheutti uusia kyläjuttuja.

Melkein samaan aikaan tuli valtuustoon yhden miehen

täydennysvaali, ja kauppiaat asettivat minun ehdokkaakseen. Toinen
vaaliryhmä taas asetti, asianomaisen kieltäytymisestä huolimatta,
ikäänkuin ilkkuen, vastaehdokkaakseni Asplundin. Vaikka tällainen
pikkuvaali tavallisesti ei herättänyt yleisempää huomiota, muodostui
se kuitenkin nyt vilkkaanlaiseksi. Ja varsinkin innostuivat Nurhonen
ja Kemppainen puuhaamaan Asplundin hyväksi. Vaalilippujen
levittämisensä ja valtakirjain keräämisensä takia saivat he minut taas
kärtyisälle mielelle. He eivät nähtävästi mitenkään olisi minulle
suoneet tätä kunniaa, josta en suinkaan itse tuntenut itseäni
välinpitämättömäksi.

Kun huomattavaa agitatsioonia näin ilmestyi toisella puolella, eivät

kauppiaatkaan pysyneet toimettomina. Osa valitsijoita oli huvitettuja
vaalista vaan vastalistain omituisuuden takia. Mutta varsinkin
Granberg innostui todellisiin vaalipuuhiin, sillä hän näytti
sanomalehtiasiassa häviölle jouduttuaan tulleen Asplundin
leppymättömäksi viholliseksi.

Uuden Ajan yhtiökokous oli nimittäin tätä ennen pidetty ja oli ollut
hyvin kiivas. Granberg oli hankkinut osakkeenomistajilta paljon
valtakirjoja ja koetellut puheillaan vaikuttaa läsnäoleviin. Mutta
saman olivat toisetkin tehneet, ja Asplund oli Helanderin neuvoa
noudattaen ostellutkin osakkeita. Granbergilla olivat valtakirjat
suurimmaksi osaksi itsellään, mutta toisella puolen olivat ne jaetut
useammalle eri henkilölle ja tulivat siten äänestyksessä
täydellisemmin vaikuttamaan kuin Granbergin valtakirjat, joista
sääntöjen määräämän äänestysmäärän rajoituksen kautta osa jäi
vaikutuksettomiksi. Tulos johtokunnan vaalista oli, että kaikki entiset,
paitsi Helander ja minä, jotka kieltäännyimme, valittiin uudestaan, ja
meidän sijallemme kaksi kauppiaspuolueen vastustajaa. Granberg
näin ollen myöskin kieltääntyi vastaanottamasta johtokunnan
jäsenyyttä ja läksi kokouksesta heti vaalin jälkeen uhkamielisen
näköisenä. Täti Löfberg oli voittaneen listan puolella, mutta sitten
melkein pahoillaan kun se voitti.

— Ei se nyt suinkaan parantunut, sanoi hän.

Tämän kokouksen tulos näytti olleen syynä että Granberg

valtuusmiesvaalissa parhaansa mukaan toimi Asplundia vastaan ja
siis minun hyväkseni. Yleinen innostus ei kuitenkaan noussut
tavallisen suuren vaalin tasalle. Tulos oli Asplundin voitto noin
kymmenen äänen enemmistöllä.

Tappio tuntui minulle kovin nololta, ja kun lisäksi luulin ympärilläni

huomaavani ilkkuvia silmäyksiä, menetin kaiken malttini. Toimin
liikkeen asioissa aivan kuin ei ketään muuta asianomaista olisi ollut
olemassakaan, syrjäyttäen Asplundin ja Nurhosen joka
tilaisuudessa. Tyytymättömyys kasvoi toisellakin puolella, ja me
tuskin tervehdimme toisiamme.

Vaalin tulos näytti lisänneen uusia hiiliä Granbergin ahjoon.

Eräässä kauppaseuran kokouksessa otti hän sanomalehtiasian
keskusteltavaksi. Hän valitti sitä, ettei liikemiehillä kaupungin
sanomalehdistössä ole muuta kuin jyrkkää vastustusta, jota seikkaa
hän piti ikävänä sekä katsoi tarpeelliseksi jotain siinä suhteessa
tehtävän. Mutta muu tehtävä ei nykyisin liene mahdollista, sanoi hän,
kuin perustaa uusi lehti niitten ikävien kokemuksien perusteella,
joihin Uuden Ajan suhteen ollaan jouduttu.
 Asiata valmistelemaan valittiin toimikunta, johon jouduin minäkin.
Vaikka asian piti olla salainen, levisi tieto siitä kuitenkin pian
yleiseksi. Molemmat lehdet uutisena julkaisivatkin tämän
hankkeemme.

Näihin aikoihin ilmestyi Uuteen Aikaan kirjoitus, jossa ankarasti

moitittiin valtiokirkon ja koulujen uskonnonopetuksen koneellisuutta
ja niissä ilmenevää sisällisen innostuksen puutetta. Kansalainen
nousi puolustusasemaan, väittäen kaiken takana olevan vaan vihan
uskontoa vastaan, ja se puolittainen suopeus, jolla lehdet olivat
kunnallisissa asioissa toisiaan kohdelleet, hävisi taas kokonaan.
Tämä lehtien sotakannalle asettuminen aiheutti kauppiaspiireissä
toiveita välien vielä entiselleen muuttumisesta ja kysymys
kolmannesta lehdestä jätettiin toistaiseksi. Granberg ei sanonut tälle
toiveelle olevan arvoa annettava, mutta muista syistä suostui hänkin
jättämään asian sopivampaan aikaan.

Osanottoni tähän uuteen lehtitoimikuntaan ei suinkaan meidän

Nurhoslaisten väliä parantanut. Mutta siitäkään emme koskaan
keskenämme mitään puhuneet.

Näin kului joku aika, päiväin mennen kuin koneen suuren

huimapyörän hiljalleen, mutta säännöllisesti, omaa kulkuaan. En
ajatellut varsinaisesti eroanikaan, mutta tunsin ettei se enää nyt
entisessä määrässä vaikealta tuntuisi, melkeinpä luulin sitä jo
toivovani. Tahdoin vain toistaiseksi olla paikoillani, ikäänkuin
näyttäen ettei minulle mitään voida.

Piakkoin kuitenkin tapahtui käännös asiain menossa.

Tuli osakeyhtiömme varsinainen kokous, Helanderin jo siirryttyä

pois paikkakunnalta. Tässä kokouksessa piti myös lopullisesti
päätettämän juomakauppaoikeuksien käyttämisestä. Mutta minä en
enää tähän päätökseen joutunut osaa ottamaan. Ennen tätä asiaa
toimitettiin nimittäin johtokunnan vaali, ja minä äänestin Asplundia,
John Nurhosta ja oman nimeni sijalle kirjoitin laivuri Sairan, joka
Nurhosille ostamistaan osakkeista oli pari pidättänyt omiinkin
nimiinsä. John Nurhonen tahtoi, seurauksia ajattelematta,
jonkinlaiseksi mielenosoitukseksi olla minua äänestämättä, ja kirjoitti
listaansa omasta ja äitinsä puolesta myöskin Sairan, joka näin ollen
tuli Asplundin ja Nurhosen kera valituksi. Minä jäin pois
johtokunnasta, jonka sääntöjen mukaan tuli keskuudestaan valita
yhtiön toimitusjohtaja.

Jäseneni aivan jäykistyivät, kun vaalin tuloksen huomasin. En

saanut sitä edes ääneen julkilausutuksi, vaan näytin kunkin
äänimäärää paperistani.

Hämmästys oli yleinen muissakin. Asplund katsoi oudolla,

kysyvällä ja samalla nuhtelevalla katseella häpeävään Nurhoseen,
sekä sanoi vaalin täytyvän toimittaa uudestaan. Saira myös kieltäytyi
johtokuntaan rupeamasta.

Sillä välin sain minä koottua päättäväisyyteni. Kieltäännyin jyrkästi

uudesta vaalista, selittäen sellaisen menettelyn olevan laittoman.
Ääneni alkoi vihansekaisesti värähdellä, enkä sen jälkeen vastannut
mihinkään esittelyihin ja kysymyksiin. Asplund nousi ylös, sanoi
kokouksen täytyvän lykkäytyä seuraavaan iltaan, ja poistui hyvästiä
sanomatta. Toiset seurasivat häntä äänettöminä ja vakavina.

Jäin yksin konttoriin. Nyt oli siis kaikki lopullisesti ratkaistu. Mutta
entisistä valmistuksista ja uhkaavista pilvistä huolimatta oli tämä
kaikki kuitenkin tullut odottamatta, niin silmänräpäyksellisesti, että
minun oli vaikea asemaani mukaantua. Minä raivosin ja uhkuin
ylimielistä kostontunnetta, siksi loukattuna ja vääryyttä kärsivänä
pidin itseäni. Eroamista tästä talosta en luullut enää valittavani,
mutta ajatus että olen tullut erotetuksi, kuohutti mieltäni. Ja siksi
minä päättelin olla kaikkeen sovitteluun taipumaton, vakuutettuna
heidän olevan sillä hetkellä johtoon ryhtymään yhtä
valmistumattomia kuin minä illalla, työni lopetettua olin tietämätön
siitä etten aamulla siihen enää palajaisi.

Näitä ajatellessani seurasi lopulta ikävän tunne. Oli jo myöhäinen

ilta ja kaikki työ liikkeessä lopetettu. Kävelin ympäri kaikkialla,
konttorissa, puodissa, pihalla, kuin hyvästillä talon elottomille
esineille. Jokainen musta esine, jokainen oven ripa oli vanha tuttu,
tulos monista mietteistäni ja sijoiteltuina oman harkintani jälkeen
nykyisille paikoilleen. Minulla oli ikävä heitä viimeistä kertaa katsella,
heistä erota. Tuntui aivan kuin eroaisin osasta omia jäseniäni.

Melkein koko yön kävelin sitten yksinäni ulkona kaduilla,

seisotellen oman talomme edustalla, sitä katsellen, tarkastellen
kylttikirjaimia, jotka kaksi kertaa maalarin työhön tyytymättömänä olin
muutattanut. Siihen te nyt kaikki minusta jäätte! Löfbergin talon
kohdalla seisoin kauvan kaihomielisenä ja huomaamattani olin
joutunut Raivankin asunnon edustalle.

Koululaisia kulki serenaadilla flammoilleen. Tyynessä yössä

kuuntelin heidän laulujaan, jotka tuntuivat hautajaisvirsiltäni. Heidän
aavistamattaan värähyttelivät he sydänalaani lauluissaan sanoja
sellaisia kuin "Äfven du skall friden få".
XV.

Heinäkuun 20 p.

Tänään olin Hilman kanssa Löfbergiläisten kesäasunnolla. Vanha

täti puuttui heidän seurastaan, mutta sen sijaan oli omaisten joukko
lisääntynyt langoilla, kälyillä ja herttaisilla pikku pojilla ja tytöillä.
Kuinka onnellisilta he kaikki näyttivät.

Illalla palatessamme oli laivassa myöskin Kemppainen rouvansa,

entisen Miia Nurhosen kanssa. Kemppainen on siis lopultakin
päässyt toiveittensa päämaaliin.

Silloin kun jätin tämän kaupungin, olivat hänenkin elämänsä

toiveet särkyneet. Muistan hyvin kun hän aamulla jälkeen tuon
sattuman tapaisen, vaan kenties korkeimman määräyksestä niin
tapahtuvaksi säädetyn yhtiökokouksemme tuli luokseni, arasti
selitellen haluavansa puhutella minua kahden kesken. Hän pyysi
päästä eroon palveluksestaan jos mahdollista heti, mutta ainakin
kahden viikon kuluttua.

Kaiken sen vaikuttamana mitä edellisenä iltana oli tapahtunut,

pidin tätä tunnottomana ilkeytenä ja käskin hänet poistumaan.
 Sitä hän ei kuitenkaan tehnyt, vaan selitti tarkoituksensa olevan
todellisen ja vakavan.

— Mutta miksi te tulette sitä minulle ilmoittamaan, sanoin,

tiedättehän te kumminkin mitä eilen illalla on tapahtunut.

Hän oli siitä kuullut, mutta ei katsonut sellaisen äänestyksen

voivan mitään merkitä.

— Vakuutan teille, sanoin, että se ainakin minun kohdaltani tulee

olemaan pysyväinen. Mikään voima maailmassa ei saa minua
antamaan tätä tekoa anteeksi. Ja siksi on teidänkin nyt tarpeetonta
erota, kun varmasti minusta pääsette.

Hän oli puoliksi hämillään, puoliksi kuin anteeksipyytävä, kun hän

selitti ymmärtävänsä katkeruuteni häneen. Vakuutti kuitenkin ettei
ole varsinaisesti tahtonut olla minulle pahansuopa, joskin joskus siltä
on näyttänyt.

— Olen vain ollut niin läheisessä seurustelussa Nurhosten kanssa,

sanoi hän.

— Niin, vaikken minä ymmärrä Nurhostenkaan vastenmielisyyttä

minua kohtaan.

— Ei suinkaan siinä erikoisempaa syytä olekaan, sanoi hän. Se on

ollut sama asia jonka minä itseeni nähden vasta nyt olen tullut
ymmärtämään.

— Se olisi?

— Meidät aletaan huomata tarpeettomiksi.

 — Tekin?

— Minäkin.

Olin pitemmän aikaa vaiti. Sanoin sitten:

— He kyllä katsovat liikkeen perinnöllisesti kuuluvan heille. Mutta

minusta on näyttänyt niinkuin tekin piakkoin tulisitte heidän sukuunsa
kuulumaan.

Hän naurahti.

— Siltä se on saattanut näyttää. Niin ei kuitenkaan tapahdu.

Aavistin sitä, minkä myöhemmin olen saanut kuulla

tapahtuneenkin. Hän oli viimeinkin rohkaissut itsensä, kosinut Miia
neitiä ja saanut rukkaset. Siksi katsoi hän tehtävänsä Nurholassa
loppuneeksi.

— Puhukaa te erostanne Asplundille ja rouva Nurhoselle, sanoin.

Sen voin kuitenkin vakuuttaa etteivät he teitä ainakaan nyt päästä
lähtemään.

Hän sanoi päätöksensä olevan tinkimättömän. Luuli muuten

muuttoansa nähtävän mielihyvälläkin.

— Selim on joutunut paikattomaksi, sanoi hän, ja he surevat

kovasti, jos eivät saa häntä tänne vartioittavakseen. Minun on
väistyttävä jo senkin vuoksi, antaakseni tilaa hänelle.

— Niin, heitähän on tosin kaksi, lisäsin minä kuin aatteissani.

Hän puristi kauvan kättäni poislähtiessään.

 Kemppainen kuuluu sen jälkeen eronneenkin ja perustaneen
itselleen pienen välitys- ja asioimisliikkeen. Useita vuosia
myöhemmin ovat asiat kuitenkin kääntyneet siksi, että hän nyt on
naimisissa Miian kanssa.

He tulivat laivalla meitä tervehtimään ja ilmoittivat rouva Nurhosen

aamupäivällä kuolleen. Sen pitempiin puheisiin emme jääneet. Näytti
kuin tahtoisivat he meidän antaa olla kahden kesken.

Tieto rouva Nurhosen kuolemasta vaikutti taas raskauttavasti,

vaikka mieliala Löfbergiläisten luona oli ollut mitä hilpein.

— Niin, sehän se kaikilla on lopuksi edessä, sanoi Hilma.

Minä johduin ajattelemaan mitenkä kuolemakin mahtaa olla

suloista, kun näkee omaisensa, omat lapsensa aikuisina ja
toimeentulohuolilta turvattuina ympärillään. Mutta kuolla tietäen ettei
mitään ole maailmassa tehnyt, ei mitään aikaansaanut, kenenkään
surematta ja osaaottamatta, sen täytyy olla raskasta ja rauhatonta.
Ja väkisinkin jouduin taas ajattelemaan mitenkä toisin minunkin
asiani voisivat olla, jos joku lehti elämäni korttipelissä olisi tullut
oikealla ajalla toisin käytetyksi. Omituista olojen narripeliä sekin että
hän, jota nytkin ajattelin, istui tässä vierelläni. Mutta hänellä on
kuitenkin isä, hän on kasvanut vanhempainsa kodissa ja saanut
osakseen omiensa huolta ja rakkautta, ja siksi hän on osaansa
tyytyväinen. Minulta ovat vanhemmat kuolleet jo nuorena ollessani,
enkä koskaan myöhemminkään ole saanut tuntea todellista
osanottoa. Ja kuitenkin minä vielä vanhana miehenäkin mielelläni
olisin oman äidin tuuditeltavana pienokaisena.

Löfbergiläiset puhuivat kaikellaista iloista ja vallatonta, jotenkin

suoranaisesti viittaillen meidänkin aikamme jo tulleeksi. Me
nauroimme, mutta ainakin minulla sydän pamppaili. Ja laivalla
palatessamme tunsin minä samallaista halua kuin tuolla
onnettomalla ajoretkellä. Teki taaskin, kun muutaman päivän perästä
lähden tältä paikkakunnalta, enää koskaan tänne palaamatta,
mieleni hyvästinä sanoa että tunteeni ovat samat kuin ennenkin,
sama toivoton poltto rinnassani kuin kymmenen vuotta sittenkin.

Ja varsin ymmärrettävästi minä tämän sanoinkin. Hän ei nytkään

vastannut mitään suoranaista, vaan sen sijaan hiljaisella äänellä
kehoitteli minua jättämään lähtöaikeeni ja uudelleen rupeamaan
tämän kaupungin asukkaaksi. Kauppias Koskinen kuuluu alkaneen
elää säännöttömästi, asiansa ovat rappiolla, ja Hilma sanoi isänsä
maininneen mitenkä mukavata minun nyt olisi ostaa hänen
liikkeensä.

— Isä kyllä sinua auttaisi raha-asioissa, sanoi Hilma.

Olisihan sekin kohtalon ivaa joutua kilpailijaksi omalle entiselle

itselleen, vanhempana hajoittamaan mitä nuorempana on
rakentanut.

Mutta mikseivät voisi molemmatkin toimia toisiaan

vahingoittamatta.
Maailma on laaja, alaa itsekullekin. Ja sitäpaitse, jos en minä ota
Koskisen kauppaa, ottaa sen joku töineen. Asiain menoa ei minun
persoonani muuta niin eikä näinpäin.

Ei, en minä tänne jää. Täällä olisi elämä raskaampaa ja

kiusallisempaa kuin vieraalla paikkakunnalla. Mutta omituisesti tämä
Hilman ehdotus mielessäni pysyy.