Health Minister Apologizes for Disability Expression After Protest
Disability rights activists protested Health Minister K.G. Arunraj's use of an outdated Tamil expression for people with disabilities. The Minister has since apologized on social media.
Key takeaways
- Health Minister K.G. Arunraj apologized after using an outdated Tamil expression for people with disabilities.
- The expression was used during counselling for special category students at a government hospital in Chennai.
- Activists protested the use of the term, which had gone viral on social media.
- The minister acknowledged the inadvertent use of the expression and expressed regret.
Health Minister K.G. Arunraj issued an apology after disability rights activists protested his use of an outdated Tamil term to refer to individuals with disabilities. The expression was reportedly used during an in-person counselling session for MBBS and BDS admissions.
What Happened
The incident occurred at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super-Speciality Hospital, located on Omandurar Government Estate, during counselling for students in special categories, including those with disabilities. Following the Minister's remarks, the expression gained traction on social media, prompting the protest.
Key Facts
- Disability rights activists protested in Chennai regarding an expression used by Health Minister K.G. Arunraj.
- The activists stated the expression used to describe people with disabilities was outdated.
- The Minister made the remarks during counselling for special category students for MBBS and BDS admissions.
- The event took place at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super-Speciality Hospital, Omandurar Government Estate.
- Health Minister K.G. Arunraj apologized for his statement via his X account.
- In his apology, Dr. Arunraj expressed regret for inadvertently using an expression that should be avoided by convention.
- The apology was published on August 14, 2026.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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