973 cases of false caste certificates registered in state: Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol

The government has booked 973 cases of persons obtaining false caste certificates, Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol told the Legislative Assembly on Monday. The number includes 68 cases in which fabricated caste certificates were used for contesting elections.

Karjol, who is the Social Welfare Minister, said the government could do only so much against people taking false caste certificates. “Their mindset should change,” he said, while replying to a question raised by BSP’s N Mahesh.

Caste certificates are issued by the Revenue department to especially those belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Communities in order to avail of various benefits they are entitled to.

Karjol said persons belonging to forward castes had obtained “false” caste certificates. “Mogaveera caste people obtained (certificates) as Moger, Lingayat Jangama as Beda Jangama, Kuruba as Kadu Kuruba/Jenu Kuruba/Gond and Maaleru as Maleru and others also obtained SC/ST caste certificates,” he said.

According to Karjol, of the 973 cases, only 12 led to the conviction.

“We have written to the Revenue department seeking action against 27 tahsildars for issuing false caste certificates without proper verification,” Karjol said, which angered some MLAs.

Senior JD(S) legislator A T Ramaswamy lamented that just writing to the Revenue department was considered as action taken. Congress’ Priyank Kharge, who also headed the social welfare department, said: “The Social Welfare department has become a recommending authority.”

Karjol said tahsildars came under the jurisdiction of the Revenue department. “But if this House agrees, then we will amend the law so that we can take action against tahsildars,” Karjol said.