Derogatory caste names should not be used in Census, says VCK MP
VCK MP D. Ravikumar has urged the Indian government to stop using derogatory caste names in Census data and official documents. He argues that these terms perpetuate stigma and contradict the legal protections provided under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Why it matters
The request highlights ongoing efforts to address systemic social discrimination and the role of government documentation in reinforcing or dismantling caste-based marginalization.
Villupuram MP and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) general secretary D. Ravikumar on Friday (July 31, 2026) raised in Parliament the issue of the use of derogatory caste names during the Census and in official documents, including caste certificates issued to Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu, and appealed to the Union government to direct the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to discontinue the practice.
Raising the issue under Rule 377, Mr. Ravikumar said that members of the Scheduled Caste communities have long opposed the continued use of such derogatory terms in official documents, as their use “dehumanises and stigmatises” entire communities. He added that using such terms with the intent to insult or humiliate members of the Scheduled Castes constitutes an offence under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
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