'Harijan' out of Odisha government's official vocabulary
The ST and SC Development department in a circular to all the principal secretaries and commissionercum- secretaries directed them to ensure that the term 'harijan' shall not be used in any off i c i a l communications, records, caste certificates, etc. The department also asked the officers to take steps to sensitise all employees in this regard and ensure that existing documents or records are aligned with the changes.
State coordinator of Bahujan Students & Youth Front Anil Kumar Mallick had in May this year filed a petition with the OHRC seeking its intervention in removing the term 'harijan' from use by public institutions, educational establishments, news reports and government communications.
He reasoned that 'harijan' has long been associated with untouchability and caste-based discrimination against the Scheduled Castes. The Supreme Court had also declared it as unconstitutional and derogatory and violating the rights of SCs under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. Despite this, the term continues to be used in Odisha, he said.
For instance, there are seven schools in the state that have harijan in their names. These are Harijan Basti Primary School at Nayagarh, Harijan Govt Primary School at Athagarh, Panichhatra Harijansahi Prathamika Vidyalaya and Jhadlinga Harijansahi Prakalpa Prathamika Vidyalaya in Puri district, Nikirai Harijan Prathamika Vidyalaya in Kendrapara, Indira Priyadarshini Harijan Adivasi Ucha Vidyalaya in Banki, and Ertal Harijan Sarakari Prathamika Vidyalaya in Bhadrak.
The OHRC asked the ST and SC Development department to take appropriate action in this connection. In 2012, the ministry of Social Justice had asked chief secretaries of all states and UTs that only the Constitutional term Scheduled Case in English and its appropriate translation in other languages should alone be used for denoting persons belonging to SC communities.
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