To make sure that terms and phrases used to refer to disabilities do not negatively stereotype those affected, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has asked its officials not to use words like ‘disabled’, ‘viklang’ and ‘handicapped’ in their official communication.

The long-awaited move is in keeping with the UN Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is also a signatory.

Besides officials, the Ministry has also asked heads of its various affiliated institutes to address the persons in the sector with ‘persons with disabilities’ and ‘Divyangjan’ while presenting papers, documents, schemes and programmes and in general communication with the community.

In a letter written recently to all Ministry officials, KVS Rao, Director of the Department of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)said, “As you are aware, India is signatory to UNCRPD and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has been enacted by the Government in line with the spirit of this Convention.

“The Act enshrines the rights of persons with disabilities to live with respect and dignity. Use of the words such as ‘vikalang’, ‘disabled’, ‘handicapped’ etc is perceived as offence to PwDs, and thus is contrary to the spirit of the Act/UNCRPD.

“It may be noted that in English text of the said Act, the phrase “persons with disabilities” has been used where as Divyangjan” has been used in the Hindi text of the Act,” said the letter.

However, the move has not impressed the activists from the sector. They were ok with the word ‘person with disability’, but not with ‘Divyang’, which has been coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

They also pointed out that National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) and a few other national institutes under the Ministry as well as other government sectors continue to retain the “offensive” expressions and needs to be changed.

Disability rights activist and Associate Prof of Physiology at UCMS and GTB Hospital, Delhi rued that people with disabilities are either treated as sub-human by calling them handicapped or as super-human by hailing them as divyang. Neither is true. India ratified UNCRPD which uses the term “people with disabilities” which the whole sector endorses.

“Regarding ‘Divyang’ it is again dehumanising just like the word Harijan coined by Mahatama Gandhi but rejected by Dalit sector.

In the same way, non-disabled should not impose their words of choice on whole disabled community without asking them.

Meenu Mani, a wheelchair user who heads ‘Yes! We Can’, NGO, said it is high time that we talk about inclusive society where people from the sector are seen as individuals and not associated with their conditions.