Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the mindset towards the differently-abled people must change and the word 'viklang' (disabled) should be replaced with 'divyang' (endowed with special faculties).
"What I want to do is change the mindset about differently-abled people. When I say let's use the word 'divyang', it is about that change," he said at a public meeting here after distributing wheelchairs, electronic hearing aids and skill certificates to the differently-abled people.
In his December 27 'Man ki Baat', Modi had based his concept of 'Divyang' on the premise that the people with physical diabilities tend to develop special faculties that even the fully 'able' lack.
"We see a person's disability with our eyes. But our interaction tells us the person has an extra power. Then I thought, in our country, instead of using the word 'viklang,' we should use the term 'divyang'," Modi had said in his radio address of last month.
The Department of Disability Affairs has since given a serious thought to changing the official terminology.
The prime minister said his government has been working for the betterment of the poor ever since it was formed.
"We are constantly thinking about how development will reach the poor and how the lives of the poor will be transformed," he said.
On day one of his government he had announced that "it will always be there for the poor and for those who have faced struggles in life," Modi said.
45 injured on their way to meet Modi
Forty five people, who were on their way to attend a meeting to be addressed by Narendra Modi, were injured in a road accident in the temple town of Varanasi on Friday morning, police said.
The accident occurred when the bus they were travelling in collided with an electric pole on the road side.
Most of the injured were differently-abled on their way to Dereka Ground in Varanasi where Modi was to meet them.
An official said most of them sustained only minor injuries and would only require the first aid.
The accident is thought to have occurred due to dense fog and poor visibility.
Upon learning about the accident, the prime minister expressed his regrets and said the government would make arrangement for their treatment.
"Some 'Divyang' sisters and brothers were to join us but the bus had an accident. Government will make arrangements for their treatment," he said.
Varanasi is Modi's parliamentary constituency.
Prior to the meeting, he also flagged off Mahamana Superfast Express train which will run from here to New Delhi thrice a week.
