Srinagar: A Bakarwal candidate is being denied a category certificate by revenue department in Ganderbal district from the last eight months, despite clear directions from the government to issue the certificate to any deserving candidate of the community within 15 days.
Mohd Ashraf has applied for Scheduled Certificate in October last year in the officer of Naib Tehsildar in Nuner Ganderbal. But the Naib Tehsildar is denying him the certificate from the last eight months.
“The concerned Naib Tehsildar, Mohd Maqbool, is denying me the ST certificate, despite I have verified Permanent Resident Certificate and ST certificate of my father, which has been issued to him by the revenue department in year 1994. After delays, the officials forced me to pay him bribe of Rs 30000 and a shawl costing Rs 8000. I paid this under compulsion as I was not able to apply for jobs and scholarships,” Ashraf, who is a Post graduate from University of Kashmir, told KNS.
Maqbool, the NT, told KNS that Ashraf’s application was rejected. When asked the reasons of the rejections and the bribe, he could not elaborate.
“His application was rejected. Let him prove I have accepted bribe in lieu of issuing the certificate,” Maqbool, posted in Nuner, Ganderbal, as NT, told KNS.
Tehsildar of the Ganderbal told KNS that the candidate should approach her. “I will look into the issue,” she said.
Commissioner Secretary of Revenue department, Mohammad Ashraf Mir told KNS that he will direct the Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal to “look into the issue”.
As per permit of the government issued to the Gujjar and Bakarwal and other backward communities in the state, the revenue and other departments concerned have to issue certificates within 15 days.
“We can apply anywhere in the state for the category certificates and the revenue department is bound to issue the certificate within 15 days as per rules,” Zahid Parwaz Chaudhary, President of Gujjar and Bakarwal Students Association told KNS.
Meanwhile, Ashraf has written a complaint against the Naib Tehsildar and forwarded to National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, chief secretary, divisional commissioner and other concerned officials of the state. (KNS)
