PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 21 -- The Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to amend police manual and regulations, if necessary, to prohibit disclosure of caste in investigations and public records relating to complainants, accused and witnesses. The only exception will be cases where law requires caste disclosure, such as those filed under the SC/ST Act.

Quoting Dr BR Ambedkar, the court noted that "castes are anti-national because they generate jealousy and antipathy between caste and caste," stressing that pride must lie "not in caste but in character, and not in legacy but in equality and fraternity."

Justice Vinod Diwakar, in his order dated September 16, observed that such caste glorification is "anti-national" and ...