Activists flag upper castes identifying as Scheduled Castes in Karnataka
BENGALURU: False caste claims are rocking Karnataka's ongoing caste census, with reports that thousands of upper caste individuals are fraudulently identifying as Scheduled Caste (SC) to gain government benefits. More alarming is that enumerators working under the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission have allegedly been instructed not to demand proof or verification of Beda Jangams and Budaga Jangams, and to simply accept the respondent's word as final.
This revelation has prompted SC leaders and rights activists to raise red flags. 'Even in recent surveys, numbers show an increase of about 2 lakh entries, which appears suspicious,' said Renuka Prasanna, secretary, Veerashaiva Mahasabha. 'We are urging people to report their actual caste and not make false claims. Just because an enumerator records, it doesn't mean someone automatically becomes SC, there are official processes involved.'
The implications of this alleged loophole are far from minor. A delegation of Scheduled Caste leaders, including former MP Dr L Hanumanthaiah and former minister H Anjaneya, met Justice Nagamohan Das to caution him about the misuse.
Dr L Hanumanthaiah told TNIE, 'While we demanded there should be no false entries, the commission said there is a problem because some members have approached the High Court, asking why they were asked to show proof of Beda Jangam and Budaga Jangam identity, while others were not asked for certificates as proof. Considering this serious problem, it is good that enumerators demand proof of identity, because the number of Beda Jangams and Budaga Jangams have shot up from less than 60,000 to over 3 lakh, an increase of 400-500 per cent between 2011 and the present.''
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