Don't use the word Dalit to identify someone: Punjab SC panel
Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Sep, 2021 11:09 AM
Chandigarh, Sep 21 (IANS) Taking note of the word 'Dalit' being used for newly-appointed Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi by the media, the Chairperson of the state Scheduled Castes Commission, Tejinder Kaur, on Tuesday issued instructions not to use the nomenclature to mark the identity of any person belonging to Schedule Castes.
In a statement issued here, Kaur said the nomenclature Dalit does not find mention in the Constitution or any other statute.
Even the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has directed all state governments and Union Territory administrations to use the word Scheduled Caste instead of Dalit for persons belonging to SCs.
Acting on the reports of violations being made by the media, the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry has issued a notice to private satellite TV channels, asking them to comply with an order passed earlier by the Bombay High Court to not use the word Dalit in reports, Kaur said.
Days after a row erupted over issuance of passport to an interfaith couple in Lucknow, sources insist that Ministry of External Affairs followed due protocol in the case.
Taking its war on drugs forward, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday ordered a mandatory dope test on all government employees, including police personnel, from the time of their recruitment through every stage of their service.
The mission was monitoring the situation in the Nepalganj-Simikot-Hilsa sector and taking all possible measures to evacuate all stranded Indian nationals and Indian-origin people from the area.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the real powers of governance in Delhi rested with its elected representatives and their opinion and decisions ought to be respected.
