Odisha Government Prohibits Use of ‘Harijan’, Directs Officials to Use ‘Scheduled Caste’ in All Records and Communications
OdishaPlus Bureau
The Odisha government has instructed all its departments, public and educational institutions, and other entities to refrain from using the term ‘harijan’ in their communications, as stated by officials on Wednesday.
The government recommended that the relevant authorities utilize terms such as ‘scheduled caste’ in English and ‘anusuchita jati’ in Odia or other national languages to “refer to individuals belonging to scheduled castes as defined under Article 341 of the Constitution,” according to a letter issued on August 12 by the commissioner-cum-secretary of the ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Class Welfare Department.
This letter was disseminated to all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, and commissioner-cum-secretaries, as reported by officials. “They have been directed to ensure that the term ‘harijan’ is excluded from all official communications, records, transactions, caste certificates, publications, departmental titles, or any other usage,” one official remarked.
The relevant authorities are also tasked with educating their staff and updating existing documents and records accordingly, he added. They are further instructed to provide a compliance report regarding the actions taken on this issue, another official noted. The state government’s initiative follows the guidelines issued by the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC), which prohibits the use of the term ‘harijan’.
These guidelines will be rigorously enforced across all government offices, the official confirmed. In 1982, the Centre had urged all state governments to discontinue the use of the term ‘harijan’ when referring to Dalits.
In light of new guidelines established by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, a similar directive was issued in 2013 to all states, mandating them to ensure the non-use of the term ‘harijan’ not only in caste certificates but also in official communications, according to officials. The Odisha Assembly has also banned the use of the term ‘harijan’, they added.