Madhya Pradesh High Court asks centre, state not to use 'Dalit' to refer people from SC, ST in official communication

The Madhya Pradesh High Court suggested the Centre and state government not to use the term ‘Dalit’ in official communication as the word finds no mention in the Constitution.

The Gwalior bench of the High Court in its directive on Monday asked the state and centre to use scheduled caste or scheduled tribe instead of the word ‘Dalit’.

The Gwalior bench said, “The government in state and centre should refrain from using Dalit, as it doesn’t find any mention in the Constitution of India.”

Social activist Mohan Lal Mohar had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in December against the word Dalit in official and unofficial communique. He said, “Father of Indian Constitution B R Ambedkar found the word Dalit inappropriate. The word Dalit hurts the sentiments of scheduled caste people.”

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PIL said, “Dalit is derogatory word. It was coined by upper castes to insult the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe.

According to government figures, 18 per cent of India’s 1.25 billion people are from schedule castes.