Tura, July 7: Several groups belonging to the minority scheduled tribe community from Garo Hills have submitted a complaint to Minister of Social Welfare Department, Kyrmen Shylla over the alleged issuance of Scheduled Tribe Certificates to people belonging to the Koch community.
According to the organizations, the scheduled tribe caste certificates are being issued in the surname of Koch-Rajbongshi, Rajbongshi, Barman, Sarkar, Choudhury besides others.
A reply to an RTI filed by the organizations under Raksamgre Civil Subdivision revealed that a total of 53 such individuals had applied for a scheduled tribe caste certificate under the surname- Barman.
The complaint to Social Welfare Minister Kyrmen Shylla was filed on July 4, by the Meghalaya Rabha Jatio Sewa Sangha (MRJSS), along with other organizations like the All Rabha Students of Meghalaya (ARSUM), Meghalaya Hajong Welfare Association (MHWA), Hajong Students’ Union (HSU), Meghalaya Boro Sahitya Sabha (MBSS) and All Boro Students’ Union (ABSU).
The organizations, in their complaint, while strongly raising objection to the issuance of scheduled tribe certificates to such individuals urged the minister to look into the matter and take necessary action in this regard.
