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“Media must use apt terms while referring to castes”

NEW DELHI: The Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Meira Kumar, has asked the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry to issue appropriate directions to the press and other media agencies for using constitutionally-accepted terms such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes while referring to persons belonging to these categories.

Ms. Kumar is of the view that the use of inappropriate terms, will weaken the social fabric of the nation, besides dampening the spirit of social justice and equity.

When the Constitution mandated positive discrimination in education, health, and employment, instances of use of caste-based discrimination in Government institutions had come to the notice of her Ministry.

Ms. Kumar has sent a letter to the I&B Ministry drawing its attention to the use of terms such as ‘upper and lower castes.’

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