Mumbai: A 24-year-old differently-abled woman was allegedly asked to take off her prosthetic limb and pass it through the screening machine at Mumbai airport. The differently-abled woman Antara Telang claims she was humiliated by airport authorities and she was forced to move around with her heavy prosthetic limb.
Telang added that this is not the first time she faced discrimination and that repeated complaints have made no difference.
"I was in tears this time, I felt humiliated in the manner the officials spoke to me. My dignity was completely taken away. They spoke to me rudely and asked me what is the full form of ETD (explosive trace detector). They put me in a room where the chair was in the far end and then I had to hop with my 6 kg prosthetic limb. Then they did not let me stand outside saying that "log aapko dekhenge" (people will see you). Please don't cry. We don't want to see you cry," she claimed.
Telang said that she was booked on an early morning flight. "I was arguing with them how they could screen me without taking off my clothes. They did not listen to me. They were rude. After 45 minutes I had to give in. I had no option but to strip and walk through a public place."
"This is not the first time. I have written twice to CISF. I used to carry my disability certificate. But this did not help. In past two years, I had to go through this experience 7-8 times here in Mumbai. We are not looking for sympathy. But when other countries can take some steps to ensure we don't go through a harrowing experience. I don't buy CISF's explanation that prosthetic limbs can't be exempted. They are not giving a proper reason. What security threat. People swallow drugs," she added.
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