1 month ago
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Noting that Census 2027 forms for Punjab database caste slurs arsenic synonyms to the names of Scheduled Caste communities, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has issued a announcement to the Director of Census Operations successful Punjab arsenic good arsenic the State government’s Social Justice Department arsenic portion of its probe into the issue.
The announcement was based connected a ailment from National Safai Karmachari Commission Vice-Chairperson Hardeep Singh Gill. The Union government’s self-enumeration website for Census 2027 lists violative and insulting words for the Valmiki assemblage successful Punjab, Mr. Gill told The Hindu, citing the usage of words similar ‘Chura’ and ‘Bhangi successful his ailment to the NCSC.
In fact, Census officials whitethorn simply beryllium pursuing the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, notified by the President of India, which repeatedly lists these violative words arsenic synonyms for the caste sanction ‘Balmiki’ successful the SC lists for Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. In different States, including Delhi, ‘Bhangi’ is listed by itself arsenic a caste name, contempt being considered a slur by many.
Abusive words
Mr. Gill said these words are prohibited nether the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The instrumentality says it is simply a punishable offence to “abuse immoderate subordinate of a Scheduled Caste oregon a Scheduled Tribe by caste sanction successful immoderate spot wrong nationalist view”.
“This is simply a precise superior issue. I person been speaking astir it ever since we recovered this out. Many radical of the assemblage went to capable retired the self-enumeration website and recovered that specified words are besides listed against the names of the Scheduled Castes,” helium told The Hindu.
Central website, State roles
In its announcement dated May 14, the NCSC enclosed Mr. Gill’s ailment and said that it has “decided to investigate/inquire” into the contented arsenic per its Constitutional powers. The Commission has asked for an action-taken study successful this respect from some the Director of Census Operations and the Punjab authorities wrong 15 days.
Asked wherefore the announcement was issued to the Punjab authorities implicit an contented with the contented connected the Census 2027 website which is tally by the Union Home Ministry, sources successful the NCSC said that portion the Union authorities is liable for the Census, the Commission is besides funny successful the relation the State authorities could person played successful intervening.
Mr. Gill said that helium had besides filed a ailment with the Director General of Police successful Punjab and the Social Justice Department of the State government. “But the section has truthful acold conscionable said that the ailment is being looked at,” helium said, adding that portion it is the Union authorities that conducts the Census crossed the country, the Punjab authorities should besides person taken attraction to debar the usage of these words.
A governmental contention had erupted successful Punjab past week, erstwhile erstwhile legislators and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party MLA Kulwant Singh Sidhu flagged this contented and said they had besides written to the authorities demanding enactment against those responsible. Several assemblage organisations person besides called for this contented to beryllium addressed, informing of law-and-order problems if Census enumerators extremity up uttering these words successful Valmiki communities portion connected door-to-door visits.
