Complaint lodged against IAS Smita Sabharwal over disability quota remarks

A disability rights group, Vikalangula Hakkula Raksha Porata Samiti filed the police complaint and said her comments were disrespectful towards the community. Terming the IAS officers' comments as distasteful and painful, the rights group president Jangaiah said, they will file police complaints in all districts in the State.

Smita Sabharwal reacting to the recent controversy of probationary IAS Puja Khedkar, took to microblogging site 'X' (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "As this debate is blowing up- With all due respect to the Differently Abled. Does an Airline hire a pilot with disability? Or would you trust a surgeon with a disability. The nature of the #AIS ( IAS/IPS/IFoS) is field-work, long taxing hours, listening first hand to people’s grievances-which requires physical fitness. Why does this premier service need this Quota in the first place! #justasking"

The tweet sparked a debate online with mixed responses, while a section expressed wide outrage.

In addition, a complaint had also been registered against Sabharwal with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). AP Vikalangula Co-operative Finance Corporation has claimed that NHRC accepted its complaint against the bureaucrat.