BOMBAY HC Directs Information Broadcasting Ministry To Avoid Using Dalit Nomenclature In Any Reportage

THE Union Ministry for Information and Broadcasting and the Press Council of India have decided to abide by the order of the Bombay High Court to avoid using the word Dalit related to any incident. While the I&B Ministry is reportedly considering issuing a direction to the media to stop using the word Dalit, the Press Council of India (PCI) is likely to issue an advisory on the issue at the earliest after studying the Judgement. The I&B ministry is expected to ask the PCI, which is the regulatory body for print media in the country, to issue an advisory on the judgement. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court recently directed the Union I&B ministry and the PCI to issue directives to the media to abstain from using the word “Dalit” in reportages The court order stated “the Central government/state governments and its functionaries would refrain from using the nomenclature “Dalit” for the members belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as the same does not find mention in the Constitution of India or any statute.” It is understood that the PCI advisory on the issue is expected within a month. It may be recalled that the GOI recently issued an advisory asking all concerned from avoiding the use of Dalit in official communication. The circular issued by the central government has asked all state and Central government departments to avoid the nomenclature “Dalit”.