NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has asked all Central ministries and departments to furnish figures for SC officers recruited over the decade begun 1995. Faced with numerous complaints of bogus SC certificates being used to corner reserved jobs, the Commission has also sought from them attested copies furnished by all those recruited at the level of officers over the same time period.

A letter to this effect was sent on July 5 asking the ministries and departments to respond by July 15. However, four days after the deadline expired, only about a dozen ministries and departments responded, Commission Chairman Suraj Bhan told a press conference here on Tuesday.

Among the ministries which responded are Parliamentary Affairs and Social Justice & Empowerment, under which the Commission functions.

The ministries and departments were also asked to provide details of the number of bogus certificate cases, which came to light. Earlier, the Commission wrote to all State Governments asking them to furnish similar details but to no avail.

"First the SCs are discriminated against, and whatever little is being done for them by way of affirmative action is being encroached upon," Mr. Bhan said.

The Commission demanded that the Government incorporate a penal clause in the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Reservation in Posts and Services) Bill 2004, which is awaiting Parliament's approval. The Bill seeks to make the claims of SCs, STs and OBCs to government jobs justiciable as the reservation policy is now being enforced only through an executive order.

The Government failed to incorporate the Commission's suggestions while drafting the Bill, Mr. Bhan said. Even the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommended a penal clause to ensure that the reservation policy was implemented in letter and in spirit.

Acharyas' support sought

The Commission was contacting the Sankaracharyas to get them to endorse a campaign against untouchability. Last week its members met the Sringeri Acharya and apparently secured his assurance to join the campaign.

Mr. Bhan said, "He told us that he was with us in our endeavour. When I asked him for a message endorsing the same, he suggested that we contact all the other Sankaracharyas so that a joint statement could be issued for greater impact."

Of the view that the Hindu community would be strengthened if it was more accommodating to the SCs, he said anti-Dalit comments in religious texts ought to be removed to change society's attitude towards this socially disadvantaged section.

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