Dear Kapil Sibalji, Positive children in Latur need your help.

[Guest guest]

Dear Shri, Kapil Sibalji,

Union Cabinet Minister for Human Resources Development

I beg a few moments of your time to tell you about a most disturbing

happening in Hasegaon, Taluka Ausa, District Latur in Maharashtra.

I am writing on behalf of the Network of Maharashtra People with HIV (NMP+),

which represents over 39,000 positive people in Maharashtra. Of these, 9,000+

are children.

It is depressing to read about the problems in a Latur

school where parents have withdrawn their children from lessons because some HIV

positive children are in the school.

Eight positive children attend the Zillaha Parishad school in the village.

Recently some parents of other children in the school leant about the

positive children and decided to withdraw their children from school.

Mr. Diliprao Deshmukh, Minister for Relief & Rehabilitation, Sports, Youth

Welfare & Protocol, has said he wants to set up a separate school for the

positive children. We believe that he said this without thinking through the

implications of the idea, and now, because of the forthcoming state elections,

he believes he has hit on a politically popular idea, even though it is

potentially hugely damaging to society.

If the school gives in to this sort of parent pressure it gives some

legitimacy to the idea that positive people should be kept aside from the rest

of society, subject to discrimination and victimisation. It fails to understand

what many people now do understand, that HIV is not passed on in normal every

day contact. There is no recorded instance, anywhere in world, of a child at

school receiving HIV from another child.

The discussion so far seems to have focused on the needs of the existing pupils

in the village and not on the educational, emotional and psychological needs of

the positive children, or on the wider interests of society.

A particular reason that I am writing to you is that I know you have an

involvement with HIV matters through the parliamentary forum on HIV/AIDS and

have a good understanding of the issues.

We strongly urge you to support our plea and help convince Diliprao Deshmukh

that he should put aside the idea of a special school and work with the local

community to adequately educate them about HIV and about the harmful affects of

a separate school.

With your encouragement he could withdraw the idea and say he now believes the

best way forward is for an integrated school with fully informed parents and

community.

We at NMP+ are very willing to support all efforts to sensitise local

village people and parents to reduce stigma and discrimination towards

people and children living with HIV. Your quick action is appreciated as still

parents are not sending their children to the school.

In solidarity

Manoj Pardeshi, General Secretary

NMP+

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