Don’t use word ‘Dalit’ to identify a person: Punjab SC commission

CHANDIGARH : Taking notice of use of word “Dalit” for newly appointed Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi in social media pages, print and electronic media, Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission chairperson Tejinder Kaur on Tuesday issued instructions to not use the nomenclature to mark identity of any person belonging to Schedule Castes.

Kaur said the nomenclature “Dalit” does not find mention in the Constitution of India or any statute and moreover, the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment has already directed all chief secretaries of the state governments and UTS regarding the same.

She said that the HC of Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior bench, passed an order on January 15, 2018, “that the Central government/state government and its functionaries would refrain from using the nomenclature ‘Dalit’ for the members belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as the same does not find mention in the Constitution of India or any statute”. She further said that following the direction of the HC, the ministry of social justice and empowerment of India directed all the state governments/union Territory administrations to use the word “Scheduled Caste” instead of “Dalit” for the persons belonging to the community.

Acting on the reports of violations being made by the various media groups, the information and broadcasting ministry also issued a notice to private satellite TV channels by asking them to comply with an order passed earlier by the Bombay high court to not use the word “Dalit” in reports, she said.