Hi avichal bhaiya, I hope you will not take it otherwise.
For sometime, forget that you are a person with disability. Let us suppose you are a person without disability and government asks you to wear a device such as a smart watch or a smart band or a smart ring and you have to pay tax as per the steps you take. Now my question is will you still be ready to pay tax? Bhaiya, it is not about what should be done ethically it is all about what is wrong legally, it is violating someone's right to equality and right to life and liberty and these are our fundamental rights which cannot be violated by the state. regards tanmay srivastava On Sun, 7 Sept, 2025, 12:57 pm Misbah, <[email protected]> wrote: > well argued and well articulated article. Thank thanks for flagging such a > critical issues. One small clarification in India. Majority of the disabled > are less. majority of the disabled are less fortunate. they have been > forced to living their life miserably. Only. only few handful are > privilege. so we should analyze all the policies from this lensperspective. > Sent from my iPhone > > On 7 Sep 2025, at 10:47 AM, Mujtaba Merchant <[email protected]> wrote: > > Acknowledging your mail. Good day to you, have a good one! ☺️ > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Mujtaba Merchant > > Bangalore | INDIA > > Sent from iPhone ® > > > > > > On 6 Sep 2025, at 10:21 PM, UDIT Pandey <[email protected]> wrote: > > > hello mr merchant, > its not that I don't agree with you. But, now, I feel that, its not the > right thred to discuss about disability related discount or wether apple > should or should not offer it. For that, lets have a different thred and > then, I would be more than happy to reply in your support. For this thred, > lets stick to the topic. > I hope you will understand my point > with regards, > Udit Pandey. > > > On Sat, 6 Sept 2025 at 21:50, Mujtaba Merchant <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Dear Naman, >> >> >> >> Your justification for advocating for policies that support the financial >> well-being and independence of persons with disabilities is >> well-articulated and compelling. I appreciate your nuanced perspective on >> differentiating between general consumer electronics and specific assistive >> technologies. >> >> >> >> However, I would like to add that a disability discount, similar to the >> student discount offered by Apple, could be a significant step towards >> making technology more accessible to people with disabilities. Just like >> students, individuals with disabilities often face unique financial >> challenges, and such a discount could help bridge the gap. >> >> >> >> Let's continue to advocate for policies that genuinely support the needs >> of persons with disabilities. >> >> >> >> >> >> *From:* [email protected] <[email protected]> *On >> Behalf Of *Naman Parakh >> *Sent:* Saturday, September 6, 2025 8:59 PM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Subject:* Re: [AI] GST 2.0: A Reform that Still Taxes Disability >> >> >> >> Hello everyone, >> >> >> >> Expanding on our ongoing discussion about the financial challenges faced >> by persons with disabilities, it's crucial to highlight several points. >> Firstly, securing employment often presents significant hurdles for >> individuals with disabilities. When this fundamental difficulty is >> compounded by additional taxes on essential assistive devices through GST, >> and now the removal of exemptions under the new income tax regime, the >> cumulative financial burden becomes substantial. >> >> >> >> A critical piece of information that is currently unclear is the import >> duty on assistive technology that is not readily available in India. If >> someone requires a specialized device that needs to be imported, >> understanding the exact import duty becomes paramount to assessing the >> overall cost and accessibility. This is a point that warrants further >> investigation and clarification. >> >> >> >> Regarding the discussion around Apple devices, I believe it's important >> to differentiate between general consumer electronics and specific >> assistive technologies. My perspective is that a device like an iPhone or a >> MacBook is primarily an ordinary product, not assistive technology in >> itself, even if it has accessibility features. Therefore, I don't believe >> these devices should be tax-free, as that could potentially lead to >> exploitation or an unintended benefit for general consumers rather than >> targeting those with genuine assistive needs. However, if there is specific >> software that clearly classifies as assistive technology—for instance, a >> screen reader like JAWS, which is indispensable for many with visual >> impairments—then that software should indeed be considered for tax >> exemption. The focus should be on the functionality that directly addresses >> a disability, rather than the device it runs on. >> >> >> >> It is vital that we continue to advocate for policies that genuinely >> support the financial well-being and independence of persons with >> disabilities, addressing these various layers of economic strain. >> >> >> >> Best, >> >> Naman >> >> >> >> >> >> On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 8:46 PM Naman Parakh <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> Hello everyone, >> >> >> >> To add to our discussion on financial considerations for persons with >> disabilities, please note that under the new income tax regime, exemptions >> for disabled individuals and disabled dependent are no longer available. >> This increases the financial burden on these families, beyond the GST on >> assistive devices. >> >> >> >> Best, >> >> Naman >> >> >> >> >> >> On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM UDIT Pandey <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Well said. And as for apple products, well it's very clear that Apple's >> accessibility is very intuitive. So, people have to stretch their budget to >> get those devices. No, I am not at all starting an Apple vs. Android >> debate. Plus, one can live without these Apple products, but living without >> assistive technologies is not possible. >> And for the organizations distributing those tools, yes, they do. But >> then, at the end, if anything fails, or any other problem, it's the >> beneficiaries who suffer. >> Just as I said before in my previous email, the ratio between cans and >> cannots in our country is not that good yet. We have more cannots than >> compared to cans. So, I think we have to think about them as well. Now, I >> want to take a very basic, real-life example to illustrate why there should >> be 0% GST for assistive devices. And, yes, I'll be neutral. >> >> >> >> A Real-Life Example: Wheelchair vs. Television >> Imagine a person with a severe physical disability who needs a >> specialized wheelchair to be mobile. This isn't just a basic manual chair, >> but an advanced, motorized one with custom supports. Let's say it costs >> ₹2,00,000. When the government adds a 5% GST, the price increases by >> ₹10,000, bringing the total to ₹2,10,000. >> Now, let's compare this to an able-bodied person buying a luxury item, >> like a high-end television for their home, also costing ₹2,00,000. They are >> also paying GST. But the key difference is that the television is a want, >> and the wheelchair is an absolute need. >> Some might say, "Why can't the person with a disability just get a >> cheaper model, like the person can get a cheaper TV?" This argument falls >> apart very quickly. A person buying a TV has a choice; they can buy a >> cheaper model or no TV at all without any real impact on their life. The >> person with the disability doesn't have that luxury. The "cheaper" >> wheelchair might not have the correct posture support to prevent health >> issues, or the right motor to safely navigate their daily environment. >> Downgrading is not an option; it's a sacrifice of a basic human function. >> Then, they might say, "If a person is paying ₹2,00,000, can't they also >> pay the extra ₹10,000?" Again, this misses the point entirely. The GST on >> the wheelchair is not a one-time expense. People with disabilities face a >> host of other unavoidable costs, like ongoing medical care, special >> transport, and other tools. The 5% GST on the wheelchair is just one part >> of a continuous and heavy financial burden. The real question is not >> whether they can pay, but whether the government should be taxing a >> fundamental necessity. >> This isn't about giving a handout. It's about removing a financial >> barrier that stands in the way of a person's ability to be independent, go >> to work, and contribute to our country. >> >> -- >> Disclaimer: >> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of >> the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; >> >> 2. 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