I&B ministry advises TV channels not to use term 'Dalit', say 'Scheduled Caste' instead

The Centre wants all private television channels to stop using the term 'Dalit'.

New Delhi, Sep 4: The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has advised television channels to refrain from using the term 'Dalit' and instead use 'Scheduled Castes (SC)', in order to comply with Bombay High Court's directions, a government order stated.

"It is accordingly advised that media may refrain from using the nomenclature 'Dalit' while referring to members belonging to Scheduled Castes in compliance with the directions of the Hon'ble Bombay High Court and the Constitutional term 'Scheduled Caste' in English, and its appropriate translation in other national languages should alone be used for all official transactions, matters, dealings, certificates, etc. For denoting the persons belonging to Scheduled Castes," said the ministry led by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

The advisory, dated August 7, is based on June order by the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court that directed the Union government "to consider the question of issuing such direction to the media and take suitable decision upon it within next six weeks."

Udit Raj BJP MP on an advisory by I&B ministry to the media to stop using the word 'Dalit' said,''Dalit means scheduled class. The term 'Dalit' is widely used and accepted. An advisory is fine but it should not be made compulsory.''