Government Directs Departments to Follow Constitutional Terminology

The Haryana government has instructed all its departments, educational institutions, public authorities, and other state bodies to avoid using the terms ‘Harijan’ and ‘Girijan’ in any official communications. These terms were historically used to refer to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), respectively.

A letter issued by the Chief Secretary’s Office clarified that all administrative secretaries, heads of departments, public sector undertakings, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, sub-divisional officers, and university registrars must strictly follow the directive.

Historical Context

Mahatma Gandhi had originally referred to SCs as ‘Harijans,’ meaning ‘people of God’. However, B.R. Ambedkar opposed the use of this term and preferred ‘Dalits’ as the correct designation.

The Haryana government emphasized that the Constitution of India does not use these terms when referring to SCs and STs. The directive also aligns with instructions from the Government of India, which mandates discontinuing these expressions in official dealings.

Implementation and Compliance

The state government noted that some departments had not fully adhered to the earlier instructions. To ensure compliance, the government has now reiterated that:

• The terms ‘Harijan’ and ‘Girijan’ must not appear in official records, correspondence, or communications.

• All state departments and authorities are required to strictly follow central government guidelines regarding terminology for SCs and STs.

An official statement said, “All departments and authorities must ensure full compliance with the central government’s instructions and discontinue the usage of these outdated expressions in all official matters.”

Moving Toward Inclusive Language

This decision by the Haryana government reflects a commitment to respectful and constitutionally accurate terminology. By replacing outdated expressions with official and widely accepted terms, the state promotes social inclusion and sensitivity in governance and communication.