Odisha bans use of ‘Harijan’ in official communications

The Odisha government has asked all its departments, public and educational institutes and others to stop using the term 'harijan' in communications, officials said on Wednesday.

The government suggested the authorities concerned that words like 'scheduled caste' in English and 'anusuchita jati' in Odia or other national languages should be used to "denote persons belonging to scheduled castes as notified 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.

The letter was sent to all the additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, and commissioner-cum-secretaries, the officials said.

"They have been instructed to ensure that the word 'harijan' does not appear in any official communications, records, transactions, caste certificates, publications, departmental names, or any other form of use," one of the officials said.

The authorities concerned are also directed to educate their staff and update existing documents and records accordingly, he said.

They are also told to submit a compliance report on the action taken on the matter, another official said.

The state government's action came in the wake of the guidelines issued by the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC), prohibiting the use of the word ‘harijan’.

These guidelines will be strictly enforced in all government offices, the official said.

In 1982, the Centre had asked all state governments not to use the term 'harijan' to refer to Dalits.

Following fresh guidelines prepared by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, a similar order was also issued in 2013 to all the states, directing them to ensure non-use of the 'harijan' word not only in caste certificates but also in official communications, the officials said.

The Odisha Assembly has also prohibited the use of the word 'harijan', they said.