BENGALURU: The Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE) has initiated action to address allegations that Dalit (SC/ST) officials in the state government are being denied promotion opportunities.
The move follows a letter from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to address the issue without delay.
The matter caused embarrassment for the ruling Congress government as it coincided with the AICC OBC Advisory Council meeting taking place in the state capital. Karnataka State Government SC/ST Employees’ Association president D. Chandrashekaraiah had initially submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, seeking his intervention. However, after receiving no response, he approached Kharge directly. In his letter dated 6 July, Kharge advised the Chief Minister to resolve the issue to ensure the smooth functioning of the government.
Subsequently, the Association submitted a detailed complaint to the DCRE, outlining the alleged injustices faced by SC/ST employees. The petition claimed that 80 SC/ST employees had been denied promotion to the post of principal in the Department of School Education and Literacy.
DCRE Headquarters Superintendent of Police, K. Dharani Devi, has instructed the respective SP to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. The petition further alleged that SC/ST employees have been overlooked for promotions in several other departments, including Home, Forest, Horticulture, Agriculture, Urban Development, Transport, and various engineering departments.