SRINAGAR: Believe it or not, a community that was included in the Scheduled Tribe list recently fears non-locals might take the benefits, Chandigarh newspaper The Tribune reported
The Gadda Brahmin community, a small group that was recently granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status along with Paharis, Kolis, and Paddri earlier this year, has expressed concerns over potential misuse of their newly acquired status. The community fears that individuals from outside their group may be fraudulently obtaining ST certificates under their name.
Following the granting of ST status in February 2024, which makes the community eligible for reservations in education and government jobs, members of the Gadda Brahmin community have raised alarms over non-community individuals attempting to secure the same benefits by applying for ST certificates under their category.
Shiv Kumar, president of the Gadda Brahmin Sabha in Jammu and Kashmir, stated that there have been cases where people from other sub-castes have sought ST certificates, taking advantage of ambiguities in the revenue records.
“The Revenue records do not specifically list ‘Gadda Brahmin’ but identify different sub-castes of the community,” Kumar told The Tribune. Despite submitting a list of recognised sub-castes to the concerned authorities, people from unrelated sub-castes have reportedly applied for ST status under the Gadda Brahmin category.
Kumar had previously submitted a memorandum to Justice GD Sharma (retd), chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission, to bring attention to this issue. Justice Sharma subsequently raised the matter with the Social Welfare Department, yet the problem persists.
Despite the community’s inclusion under the ST category, Kumar highlighted that the Gadda Brahmins still live in poor conditions. He has urged the Jammu and Kashmir administration to provide basic infrastructure to the areas where the community resides, particularly in the mountainous districts of Udhampur, Doda, and Kathua. These areas are also inhabited by Gaddis and Sippis, both of whom already enjoy ST status. The Gadda Brahmins, traditionally responsible for performing religious ceremonies for these groups, now seek better recognition and support from the government.
In a recent meeting with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Kumar reiterated the community’s plight, calling for the creation of a Gadda Brahmin Vikas Board to promote their development. He also pressed for infrastructure improvements in villages where the Gadda Brahmins have a significant presence.
With a population of fewer than one lakh members across Jammu and Kashmir, the Gadda Brahmin community remains a microscopic minority. However, their concerns over the misuse of ST status and the demand for better living conditions highlight the challenges they face despite their recent inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category.
