VCK condemns use of the word harijan by the Governor

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has criticised Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi for using the word “harijans” to refer to people who belong to the Scheduled Castes at a function held recently in Chennai.

In a statement on Tuesday, the party president Thol. Thirumavalavan questioned how the Governor could use the word, considered derogatory and the use of which has been prohibited by the Union government.

Villupuram MP Ravikumar, in a statement, also disapproved of the term.

They cited a circular issued by the Union Home Ministry in 1982, asking all State governments not to use the word “harijans” in the community certificates issued for Scheduled Castes. Following a report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (SJoE), a circular was issued in 2012 to all the State governments, asking them to avoid the use of the word not only in community certificates but also otherwise.

The Governor used the word throughout his speech to refer to the Scheduled Castes at a function organised by the Harijan Sevak Sangh. Mr. Ravikumar told The Hindu that the existence of the word in the name of the organisation, started in 1932, cannot be a reason for using the word in the speech.

In his speech, he raised concerns over the progress made by the Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu, particularly in higher education.

Though the Governor quoted inaccurate figures, the difference existed between the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for SCs and the overall GER figures Mr. Thirumavalavan said. While arguing that the Governor was trying to blame the Tamil Nadu government, he, however, said the previous AIADMK government was responsible for the gap as the figures were based on the All India Survey for Higher Education (AISHE) for the year 2019-2020.

Mr. Thirumavalavan said the Governor should offer an explanation for using the word to avoid setting a wrong precedent for its usage by others.