Odisha

Hemananda caste row: RDC to probe

Express News Service

The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Northern Division, would probe the allegations of fake caste certificates used by three Congress lawmakers, including party’s MP and former chief minister Hemananda Biswal.

The State Government has asked the RDC to probe the allegations made by former Union tribal affairs minister and State BJP president Jual Oram.

The State Government had received the allegations against Hemananda and two Congress MLAs __ Jogesh Singh and Prafulla Majhi __ through the National Commission for Scheduled Tribe where Oram had lodged a complaint. The

RDC is the authority to probe any allegation of use of fake caste certificates.

‘’Hemananda belongs to Khandayat Bhuyan, which has not been granted the ST status. Only Bhuyan, Papdi Bhuyan and Pahadi Bhuyan enjoy the tribal tag. How can Biswal enjoy ST benefits, when he is not a tribal,” the BJP leader had stated in his complaint to the commission.

However, all the three Congress leaders have denied the charges.

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