Protests by tribals against people grabbing jobs by submitting fake caste certificates are increasing with each passing day.
Cancellation of caste certificate of Burla NAC Chairperson Chandrabati Naik by the State-level scrutiny committee is just the tip of ice-berg. Many such incidents have occurred in the past and inquiry has been pending at different levels. Both tribals and Dalits have been demanding fast disposal of those cases to no avail.
Police on Wednesday registered a case against Naik for producing a fake caste certificate. She was found assuming the post on the basis of the certificate by the committee headed by Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC).
After verification of records and documents, it was found that her caste certificate was a fake one. Although she does not belong to SC, she assumed the office. In February 2011, Dunguripali police in Sonepur district arrested 14 persons on similar charges. Investigation had revealed that those belonging to upper caste had given their children for adoption to tribal families to claim benefits of Scheduled Tribe.
In 2010, the then RDC (North) PK Mohapatra had recommended dismissal of eight Government officials and four youths who had availed jobs by producing fake caste certificates.
Secretary general of Paschim Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Mahasangha Niranjan Bisi alleged that the highest number of people who have faked caste certificates belongs to Balangir.
He claimed that while 370 people produced fake caste certificates in Balangir, their number was 204 in
Bargarh, 157 each in Sonepur and Kalahandi, 145 in Boudh, 12 in Sambalpur and five in Sundargarh. Bisi said the Mahasangh has submitted a list of the persons to the State level scrutiny committee with valid documents and police have also submitted a report in this regard.
Meanwhile, president of SC/ST Employees Association, Sambalpur University, Nihal Singh said there was some hope for justice when there was district-level scrutiny committee.
“There has been no action into allegations after State-level committee replaced the district-level committee,” he added.