The hearing brought together officials from the Social Welfare Department, the Revenue Department, Tahsildars, community leaders, and affected residents from slums, as SCSA/TSA Jagruti Vedike is operating in 256 slums across Bangalore city. These settlements alone account for nearly 50,000 families who depend on caste certificates to access government schemes, scholarships, employment reservations, and welfare benefits

The struggle of thousands of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) families in Bengaluru to secure basic caste and income certificates continues unabated, despite repeated appeals to authorities. At a Public Hearing organised by the SCSA/TSA Jagruti Vedike, on Thursday, community members expressed deep frustration that even after three major meetings in the last one year, “nothing has changed on the ground” and the same systemic barriers persist.

The hearing brought together officials from the Social Welfare Department, the Revenue Department, Tahsildars, community leaders, and affected residents from slums, as SCSA/TSA Jagruti Vedike is operating in 256 slums across Bangalore city. These settlements alone account for nearly 50,000 families who depend on caste certificates to access government schemes, scholarships, employment reservations, and welfare benefits. But residents said that discriminatory practices, document-related hurdles, and delays continue to deny them their constitutional rights.

Families recounted stories of harassment and rejection that they face every day at government offices. One such case was presented by Anniamma, whose application was turned down on the grounds that she had possibly converted to Christianity. “I do housework and belong to the ‘Parayar’ caste. My children have been named Liya and Riya, the names of film heroines, but my applications were rejected saying that we have converted to Christianity. Just because we named our children like this, it doesn’t mean we have converted. We belong to the Hindu religion itself,” she said, drawing strong reactions from the audience.

Another critical issue raised was the continued insistence on producing a father’s Transfer Certificate (TC) for caste verification. One of the most distressing testimonies came from Sushilamma of Vinayaka Nagar, Yeshwanthpur, who belongs to the Parayar community. She said, “I have been living in this area for 30 years. My daughter and son-in-law both passed away. Now, to make caste certificates for my grandchildren, officials are asking for my son-in-law’s school documents. Since he is no longer alive, there are no documents available, and because of this, I am unable to obtain the caste certificate.” Her situation reflects the reality faced by many single women, widows, and elderly caregivers who cannot meet rigid documentation requirements despite their genuine need.

But this requirement had already been relaxed in earlier meetings convened in January under the guidance of then Principal Secretary Captain Manivannan. Spot verification was proposed for applicants who could not produce documents, especially since many SC families are illiterate and lack formal records. Despite this, residents said officials “still demand the TC and reject applications without hesitation,” proving that nothing has been implemented.

Community leaders reminded the gathering that this was the third such meeting in one year.

The first was held in LH in the presence of Captain Manivannan, who had clearly directed officers to treat citizens respectfully and follow transparent processes. But, residents said, “even today, officials behave the same way and people are forced to depend on middlemen to get their work done.”

At the hearing, Rajendra J. P., Assistant Director, Social Welfare Department, acknowledged the challenges and said, “The department is aware of these problems, but due to lack of communication, we are unable to resolve them. If the organization is in constant contact in the coming days, we will work together to resolve the issues.” However, Anwar Pasha, Deputy Secretary, Revenue Department claimed that “all the problems have been resolved,” a statement that drew visible dissatisfaction from the participants.

Tahsildar Prashant Patil assured action, saying, “I will list the problems of all taluks in written form and include all Tahsildars and the organization in a WhatsApp group. We will bring the issues in Nadakacheri offices to the notice of Deputy Tahsildars and try to resolve them.”

But community representatives were not convinced. Rajendra Prabhakar, State Coordinator of Bhima Jyoti Mahila Sanghatana, said, “Officials do not have the willpower.

They should come out of the caste framework, listen to the problems, and resolve them. If not, it is better for them to resign and go. These problems are never ending. Officials must follow the law, conduct spot visits for verification, and ensure the process is smooth and fair.”

Venkatesh M of Dalit Bahujan Chaluvali summed up the community’s frustration, saying, “In the last one year, we have done three meetings and nothing has changed. The department will keep promising, and our people will keep suffering.”

As the meeting concluded, organisers warned that if concrete steps are not taken immediately, the community will be forced to intensify its protests.

For SC families waiting endlessly for certificates that define their access to basic rights, the struggle continues with no sign of relief yet.