Arunachal minister proposes divyangjans brigade for deployment

In a remark that could potentially stoke controversy, a BJP minister in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday said a brigade of divyangjans (persons with disability) should be created and deployed in the Sino-India border in the state as, according to him, no enemy can defeat them.

This will secure the international border and avoid repetition of the 1962 Chinese aggression, Arunachal Pradesh Social Justice and Empowerment and Tribal Affairs (SJETA) Minister Alo Libang said.

The Sino-India border has a difficult mountain terrain. China maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is not a part of India but is a disputed area in the border between the two countries.

No enemy can defeat the divyangjans, which literally means the one with a divine body, as they never be cowed down by any adversaries, Libang said at a function here on the occasion of International Day of People with Disability.

"Divyangjans with their divine qualities are inferior to none ... Divyangjans are an indivisible part of the society. People should stand behind them to ensure that they enjoy equal rights like others, he said.

The minister said care should be taken of preganant women under the under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana so that the newborns are not divyangjans.

His proposal was appreciated by All Arunachal Pradesh Divyangjan Welfare Society president Patong Tong, who said that Arunachalees are patriots and can go to any extent to protect the country.

With jobs becoming rare for us, our members would be willing to go to the border areas to serve the nation with dignity instead of leading a life without dignity and equal rights," Tong said.

I am aware of the harsh climatic condition at the Sino-India border. But our people are courageous and mentally strong enough to face any situation," he said and cited the example of visually impaired karateka Gollo John, who has won many national and global level awards.

"John's determination is an example for us," he said.