I am writing this petition fueled by a personal and disturbing encounter that has broadened my understanding of a systemic issue plaguing non-literate individuals in India.

My mother, who was enduring the harrowing journey of cancer, was under the care of a devoted attendant 43 years of age. This caretaker, compassionate yet unfortunately non-literate, fell victim to the previously unimagined exploitations linked with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process that is ongoing in the state of Tamil Nadu currently. 

She was coerced into signing documents she didn't comprehend; documents tied to micro-loans she neither agreed to nor knew anything about. Having been chided in her youth as "only illiterates use thumb impression," she arduously practiced signing her name, a skill she now regrets attaining, as this has led to her current predicament of being harassed by lenders. This story, sadly, is just one of many.

Reports emerging from rural villages illuminate a glaring abuse of power: non-literate citizens subjected to coercion, their lives and livelihoods manipulated with threats to revoke essential Aadhar and Ration cards, unless they perfunctorily affix signatures to SIR-related documents they do not understand.  

When I asked her how she participates in the Elections,  She said someone always follows her in the name of a guide and asks her which party to elect.  Then the man presses a button in the EVM and she hears the Beep.  When asked "How do you know whether the person pressed the right button?"  for which she said, a group of some 50 women voted for a particular party,  but to their surprise, their candidate got ZERO votes. 

The sheer injustice faced by these communities cannot be overstated. It is alarming that the very system designed to protect and uplift citizens is now being weaponized against them. These non-literate individuals, already marginalized and vulnerable, are being systematically defrauded, losing their rights, dignity, and basic survival essentials to a corrupt process.

We demand an immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision process and a thorough investigation into the reported abuses. It is imperative that the government ensures that contractual rights are understood by all, regardless of literacy levels. Education campaigns, provision for independent oversight, and accountability measures must be established to protect these vulnerable groups.

Join me in standing up against this exploitation. Let us urge the concerned authorities to bring about reform and justice for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Sign this petition to hold accountable those perpetuating this systemic fraud and to restore dignity and fairness to every citizen, literate or not. Together, we can work towards an equitable society where everyone’s rights are respected and upheld.