The Punjab Government has instructed all the departmental heads to forbid the use of words ‘Harijan’ and ‘Girijan’ in official parlance and SC certificates.
The Chairman of Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Rajesh Bagha said that the commission had received a complaint from Jeet Singh, resident of Bhanohar, Mullanpur Dakha, ludhiana that the Tehsildar of Mullanpur Dakha had issued an order regarding the use of ‘Harijan’ word in place of Scheduled Caste.
Bagha said that the commission has taken a serious notice of the issue and asked the Punjab Government to issue instructions quoting the Government of India letter issued on August 16, 1990. Bagha further elaborated that the State Government has acted on the initiative of the Punjab SC Commission and forbid the using of words ‘Harijan’ and ‘Girijan’.
He added that the commission is working tirelessly for the just issues of SC category and has ordered to deal strictly with the unscrupulous elements indulging in making fake SC category certificates.