BHOPAL: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has drawn flak for his "lame horses" remark made at the Madhya Pradesh Congress convention in Bhopal on Tuesday.
In a post on social media platform X on Thursday, international para swimmer and Padma Shri awardee Satendra Singh Lohiya voiced his strong objection to the remark by Gandhi, saying it was not only 'insensitive' but also 'legally objectionable'.
Hinting at minimising the role of inactive and jaded leaders and promoting active and committed ones in the state, Gandhi had said, “We must identify and segregate race horses, wedding horses and lame horses. The race horses will be promoted, the wedding horses will be set aside for 'weddings', while the time has come for the lame horses to retire.”
In response, Lohiya wrote, “I’m an international level para swimmer and a Divyang (specially-abled) and also a responsible citizen of the country. In a recent public statement in Bhopal, he (Gandhi) used the word ‘langda,’ which hurt me a lot. The word is not only insensitive, but according to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, this terminology has been abolished and is legally considered objectionable. This Act was passed by the Parliament with the purpose of giving Divyangjan a place of respect and dignity in the society. We were given a positive word like Divyang by the PM Narendra Modi, which reflects our capabilities, not our challenges. In such a situation when the country hears such an insensitive word from a national leader, it hurts the sentiments of not just one person, but the entire Divyang community,” Lohiya posted.
“I don’t know in which context he (Gandhi) used the word, but I request him to clarify on this matter and avoid using such language in future, keeping in mind the sentiments of specially-abled people. He is requested to take this matter seriously and give an appropriate response, respecting the sentiments of Divyang people of the country,” he added in the post.
Later in the day, Lohiya also confirmed that he was requested by some of his contacts (local Congress leaders) to remove the post, but said he won’t do it till Rahul Gandhi issues a clarification about the remark.
“I’m not a politician, I’m an international para swimmer, who has dedicated two decades of life to swimming and the cause of the Divyang people. Not just Rahul Gandhi, I too have taken out a yatra for the cause of Divyangs from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. I can’t take any insults against Divyangs,” Lohiya told journalists on Thursday.
The Indore-based Lohiya, who hails from Bhind district of Gwalior-Chambal region, became the first para swimmer in 2018 to successfully cross the English Channel. Having participated in seven national and three international para swimming meets, Lohiya has won 20 medals, including five golds. He was honoured with the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2020 and four years later awarded the Padmashri.
Lohiya’s social media post expressing displeasure with the Rae Bareli MP’s remark came a day after the Divyang Adhikar Mahasangh, a Jaipur-based advocacy group, formally registered a protest over Gandhi’s remark and wrote to the chief commissioner for persons with disabilities, government of India and the chief election commissioner.
In a related development, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, during a visit to his home city Gwalior on Thursday, slammed Gandhi for using a term allegedly demeaning to people with disabilities (PwDs) and reminded him of how Prime Minister Narendra Modi had coined the word 'divyangjan' for them.
