Tue Jan 21 15:02:15 UTC 2025: ## Madurai Protests: Differently-Abled Demand Increased Assistance

**Madurai, Tamil Nadu, January 21, 2025** – Over 200 members of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) staged a road blockade outside the Madurai Collectorate on Tuesday, demanding a significant increase in monthly assistance. The protest, part of a statewide demonstration, saw participants chanting slogans and threatening to “fill the jails” if their demands were not met.

TARATDAC district secretary A. Balamurugan highlighted the disparity between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh’s financial support for the differently-abled. While Andhra Pradesh, despite having a smaller population and budget (₹2.94 lakh crore compared to Tamil Nadu’s ₹4.15 lakh crore), provides a minimum of ₹6,000 monthly assistance, Tamil Nadu offers only ₹1,500 to ₹2,000. He also pointed to a larger number of beneficiaries covered under similar social welfare schemes in Andhra Pradesh.

Balamurugan criticized the Tamil Nadu government’s claims of robust social welfare programs, urging introspection and comparison with neighboring states. He questioned the rationale behind denying the demands when smaller states with lower budgets can afford higher assistance. Over 150 protesters were briefly detained in a private hall before being released, along with over 300 others arrested at a separate protest in Peraiyur. The protests underscore the struggle faced by the differently-abled community in securing adequate financial support and a decent standard of living.

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