In a rare scenario, a Collector & District Magistrate in Telangana has exercised his powers to prevent misuse of SC status by cancelling the SC caste certificate obtained by a woman who is professing Christianity.
Recently, the District Collector of Khammam VP Gautam received a complaint from Vadapalli Nageswara Rao, a resident of Tallada village, stating that Garapati Ruthu Daivakripa of Billapadu village, Khammam district, a Christian by the faith, filed a case against him under the provisions of the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. He also pleaded with the District Magistrate to investigate the matter and take necessary action. Victim also submitted the documents that confirm the conversion of Garapati Ruthu Daivakripa to Christianity.
In response to the complaint, the District Collector’s office investigated and collected field-level details of the case. The reports found that Garapati Ruthu Daivakripa converted to Christianity and obtained a Hindu Mala certificate without revealing her religious conversion to the concerned authorities.
Based on the collected evidence, the Collector VP Gautam issued an order cancelling the SC certificate Garapati Ruthu Daivakripa.
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, in its section 3, clearly states that “no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu, the Sikh or the Buddhist shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste”.