Even though leprosy is completely curable now, there lingers discrimination against the affected. Discuss how the Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 tries to alter the situation. (200 words)
Refer – The Hindu
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 6 years
KEY POINTS
· Modern medicine, especially multi-drug therapy, completely cures the disease now.
· But, still over 110 Central and State laws discriminate against leprosy patients.
· These laws stigmatise and isolate leprosy patients and are coupled with age-old beliefs about leprosy.
The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018
· It seeks to make a start in amending the outdated statutes.
· It attempts to end the discrimination against leprosy persons in various central laws:
a) the Divorce Act, 1869
b) the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939
c) the Special Marriage Act, 1954
d) the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
e) the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956
· The Bill eliminates leprosy as a ground for dissolution of marriage or divorce.
· The amendments omit the provisions which stigmatise and discriminate against leprosy-affected persons.
· The Bill is meant to provide for the integration of leprosy patients into the mainstream.
· However, the Bill is only a small step in addressing the issues.
Way ahead
· An affirmative action law recognising their rights and benefits can serve a larger purpose.
· It may help remove misconceptions about the disease such as physical segregation of patients is necessary.
· While governments may have to handle the legislative part, society has an even larger role to play.
janardhan 6 years
Please Kindly review
IAS Parliament 6 years
Sahitya 6 years
Please review
reddy 6 years
IAS Parliament 6 years
