29 arrested for staging nude protest against Chhattisgarh government

They accuse the government of not acting against individuals who got government jobs reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes using fake caste certificates.

The Chhattisgarh Police on Tuesday arrested 29 youth for staging a nude protest in capital Raipur, accusing the government of not acting against individuals who got government jobs reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes using fake caste certificates.

The youth ran alongside vehicles of MLAs headed to the Assembly for the inaugural day of the Monsoon Session, raising slogans and carrying placards in support of their demands. They were booked for public obscenity and unlawful Assembly.

According to a statement by the Farzi Jaati Pramanpatra Maamla Sangharsh Samiti, a banner under which the protesters have organised themselves, 267 individuals got government jobs, ranging from peons to bureaucrats, using fake caste certificates. The people remained in their jobs despite a probe establishing their forgery.

“Earlier, we went on a hunger strike seeking action against them, but our demand remained unheard. Hence, we are now staging a naked protest. We demand that the fake caste certificate holders be arrested and the authorities seize property they have acquired,” a protester said, warning of more fierce demonstrations if their demands are not met.

The statement added that to look into the complaints, the State government had constituted a high-level investigation committee, on the basis of whose report the General Administration Department issued orders to immediately remove and dismiss officers and employees working on the basis of fake caste certificates.

“The orders proved to be ineffectual, the government orders were not followed and some of those employed on the basis of fake caste certificates retired, while some challenged the reports of the inquiry committee in the court. Most of the people in the list of holders are enjoying the fruits of non-compliance of government orders,” it added.

The same set of protesters and the group had also staged a fast unto death in May “but the attitude of the government and the administration remained indifferent” and the naked protest was a follow up to the same, they added.

Raipur Senior Superintendent of Police Prashant Agarwal confirmed the arrests on Tuesday evening. On the issue raised by the protesters, he said that most of such appointments had been cancelled barring a few against which there were court orders staying the dismissal process.