In Focus by The Hindu Why are specific acid attack survivors excluded from disability rights in India?
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Jan 17, 2026 Madiah Shahjar, a legal advocate from Brave Souls Foundation, discusses the crucial issue of acid attack survivors' rights under India's disability laws. She clarifies the distinction between visible injuries and internal damage from acid ingestion, highlighting how current laws overlook many victims. Madiah shares insights from a recent Supreme Court case advocating for comprehensive protections and discusses the challenges survivors face in certification processes, accessing compensation, and employment barriers, emphasizing the need for legal reforms and NGO support.
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Invisible But Severe Injuries
- Acid ingestion causes severe internal injuries that are often invisible but as debilitating as external disfigurement.
- Madiah Shahjar argues these survivors are excluded from RPwD benefits because the law focuses on visible disfigurement.
NGO Found Systemic Denials
- Brave Souls Foundation found many ingestion cases denied disability certificates because esophagus and stomach damage aren't listed in the RPwD schedule.
- This denial reduced compensation for survivors who could not get a disability percentage certified.
Certification Directly Drives Compensation
- Compensation under schemes ties directly to certified disability percentage, causing ingestion survivors to get less or no compensation.
- Lack of certification prevents calculation of disability percentage and reduces enhanced payouts.