Inclusion of mental illness in the National Trust Act, India

Dear Friend,

Following yet another round of Round Tables on the next draft amendment to the National Trust Act, I forward the following welcoming news:

The Expert Group which met on 22nd March at NALSAR made the strongest proposal for the inclusion of all disabilities under the broader rubric of "Legal Capacity and Support Act, 2010". There were very few people who argued for not including mental illness. The Act also allows for a range of positive rights and rights linked community services.

Many of us in the mental health sector feel the MHA at our door step, but have a far away view of NTA, as it has not applied to us so far.

However, we should strongly advocate for the present amendment to go through on inclusive legislation.

If the MHA is controversial on many fronts, the NTA is not: All of us, whatever our other persuasions, agree that mental illness must be included in the NTA. If the NTA comes in, the regime of guardianship established until the MHA will also be dismantled.

The battle is far from over. The Board of the NTA with staunch anti-inclusion advocates such as Parivar, is meeting on the April 7th to decide the fate of the recent amendment. We have many allies within the subcommittee which is taking the amendment proposals before the Board.

It is most important that all of us from the disability and mental health sector ply the ChairPerson, and the NTA Board, with petitions and staunch appeals on inclusion, giving reasons why.

Please do write to Ms. Poonam Natrajan, Chair Person, National Trust at enable@vsnl.com as soon as possible.

Do forward this email to other friends in the disability movement.

Best
Bhargavi Davar.
--------------------------------------------------------

"People get drugged for hearing voices which are not really there; Who will drug the mental health system for NOT hearing [user / survivor] voices which are really there?"