Thread by @DisabilityIndia

Dear @Subramanian_ma ,
It has come to our notice that @NHM_TN and @chennaicorp have planned a 'drive' tomorrow (29-7-21) in Chennai with 19 buses to 'round up' destitute homeless people with significant mental health problems and bus them for eventual treatment.

This is unlawful

Only @chennaipolice_ is authorised to intervene in this case as per Mental Health Care Act 2017. ONLY when police officer of area jurisdiction has reason to believe of person wandering at large that there is presence of mental illness AND inability to fend for self / poses risk

Even in case of this subset, the police is to inform the person of the grounds for taking into protection. With your 19 buses and target of 400 unsuspecting homeless PLMI, HOW do you propose to do this in one day.

More importantly, WHY would you choose such a dehumanising way?

indiankanoon.org/doc/1113887/
The Madras High Court observed in 2008 after a similar drive in Kanyakumari that

"16. Every person wandering on the street is not mentally ill. The police should not "round up" people as if they were stray cattle and deal with them as such.
#HumanRights

"Each individual should be dealt with as a separate case, he/she shall be treated as a human being with all the Constitutional rights. This will be possible if the police/NGO or any other person bring up each case individually as and when it arises."
.. #MadrasHighCourt #Nathalie

"17. The police need not wait to reach such a huge number in order to produce such persons before the Judicial Magistrate concerned. They shall act promptly as & when they happen to see abandoned / destitute / mentally affected / suspected ill persons wandering in public places."

... "When such mentally ill persons are handled by the police, they are to be treated with humanity and dignity and they should not be treated as chattel."

@Subramanian_ma , we all appreciate your concern. You even proposed.a sustainable solution in 2010. newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai…

Why then this 'shock and awe' error prone, tried and failed, blinkered, limited way to reach people who need sustained and varied support?
@Subramanian_ma
@RAKRI1 @GSBediIAS @NHM_TN @chennaicorp @chennaipolice_ @copmahesh1994
#MentalIllness #homelessness #Disability #RPDA #MHCA

Please don't proceed with this distressing drive tomorrow. We suggest instead, a Kind People, Happy City type model of civil society's neighbourhood street engagement, egalitarian trust-building, informed and negotiated consent & open homeless shelters etc thebanyan.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/lau…

Hey team DRA, how about a ride along?

[ Oops. Forgot the 19 buses won't be low floor! 😜😭🤣
This is #NotFreedomRides Singara Chennai! ]
@sudharamamoorty
@RajivSpeaks
@meenakshibalu
@SmithaSadasiva5
@Deepak_TMN
@vjayakumar
@aisrao
@shankaraa
@MumbaiCentral
@connectspecial