PHULBANI: It has been a decade since inquiry into fake caste certificate cases in Kandhamal was initiated by the State Government, but the investigation is far from over. Till now, only 20 persons have been removed from their jobs for submitting fake caste certificates.
Government and socio-cultural organisations had recognised fake caste certificates as the main reason behind communal clashes in the district in 2007. A large number of non-tribals, including Scheduled Castes, allegedly used fake tribal certificates to grab tribal land, get appointment in jobs reserved for tribals or get elected to posts meant for tribals.
The tribals accused a section of Scheduled Caste community of taking ST reservation benefits meant for them by fraudulently obtaining fake ST certificates.
Following the allegation by Nikhila Utakal Kui Samaj and Kui Samaj Co-ordination Committee (the tribal outfits), the SC & ST Development department in 2008 has constituted a State-level scrutiny committee (SLSC). The committee took up 1,021 cases of misuse of caste certificates and identified 939 genuine cases with the help of the Vigilance sleuths. It rejected 82 cases quoting them as false. The Vigilance sleuths subsequently submitted report to the SC & ST Development Department after completing inquiry into 796 cases.
Sources said from 2009, the SLSC has invalidated 134 certificates stating that they did not belong to STs and Vigilance inquiry revealed that they had changed their caste from Scheduled Caste to Scheduled Tribeto obtain the certificates. Persons involved allegedly joined government services, banks and PSUs by producing these fake caste certificates. On direction of the SLSC, the District Welfare Officer filed FIRs against 134 persons in seven police stations of the district and in the last 10 years, only 35 persons have been arrested while 20 have been removed from their jobs.
However, in most of the cases, the accused have filed cases in the Orissa High Court challenging the SLSC decision to cancel their caste certificates. “This is delaying investigation into the cases,” said District Welfare Officer Karu Soren.
Riot victims demand more compensation
Members of Naya, Santi O Sadbhavana Samaj of Kandhamal, on Tuesday demanded enhancement of compensation amount to the victims of Kandhamal riots in 2007 and 2008.
In a meeting, they said the district has a sizeable population of minority community, who were badly affected during the riots that took place a decade back after assassination of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.
They submitted a 19-point charter of demands to the Chief Minister through the Collector in which they demanded more compensation for victims, setting up of residential schools and colleges for the minority students of the district, immediate release of the seven persons who were convicted for killing Saraswati and to re-investigate the communal clashes by CBI, among other things.
A large number of non-tribals, including Scheduled Castes, allegedly used fake tribal certificates to grab tribal land, get appointment in jobs reserved for tribals or elected to posts meant
for tribals.