New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS): Children with special needs are as good as any other provided they get support and opportunities, President Pranab Mukherjee said Thursday.

"They need to be treated with sensitivity and empathy. They are fully capable of proving their competence. Every child is an abode of God and special children are no different," the President said, according to a statement.

He interacted with special children of Rashtrapati Bhavan complex in an event organised to mark Independence Day.

"The government is working towards creating equal opportunities for differently abled people. But citizens must also support the government in its efforts," he said.

Addressing parents, Mukherjee said he understood the difficulties and struggle they go through in bringing up differently-abled children.

The president said he would like Rashtrapati Bhavan to be a model community in terms of caring for children and adults with special needs and thereby setting an example for the rest of the country.

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