Delegation Submits Memorandum to CM Seeking Simplified Documentation Norms
Key Points:
- Rashtriya Teli Sahu Mahasangathan holds protest outside DC office
- Delegation submits memorandum addressed to CM Hemant Soren
- Community demands recognition of alternate documents for caste certificates
JAMSHEDPUR – Members of the Rashtriya Teli Sahu Mahasangathan, East Singhbhum, staged a large demonstration outside the deputy commissioner’s office on Friday, protesting against what they called an overly complicated process for obtaining caste certificates. A delegation subsequently submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, urging the state to simplify the procedure and resolve several long-standing grievances facing the Teli community.
District president of the Mahasangathan, Rakesh Sahu, said the current system has placed considerable hardship on members of the Teli community, who fall under the OBC and EBC categories. He noted that numerous eligible students, young people and needy families are being denied access to scholarships, reservations, government jobs and other welfare schemes purely due to documentation complications.
According to the memorandum, families were previously able to secure caste certificates for other members based on one existing certificate within the household. However, this practice is no longer recognized, forcing applicants to repeatedly submit fresh documentation. Many applicants also face difficulties because older land records and khatiyans do not mention caste details.
The organization pointed out that numerous families in urban areas such as Jamshedpur reside on land belonging to Tata Steel, government plots, or leased property, while many rural families similarly lack their own khatiyan documents. As a result, thousands of caste certificate applications remain pending under the existing rules.
The Mahasangathan has urged the government to treat a family’s previously issued caste certificate as valid grounds for new certificates. For families without a khatiyan, the organization has requested that Aadhaar cards along with community recommendations be accepted as sufficient documentation. It has also sought a provision allowing caste certificates to be issued based on residence on Tata Steel land or on the recommendation of the organization itself.
Additionally, the group demanded that documents such as a father’s service book, pension records, voter lists and school certificates bearing the “Teli” caste entry be accepted as valid proof. The memorandum further called for special camps to be organized across all administrative circles to clear pending applications within 15 days. The organization expressed hope that the state government would take a swift and positive decision on the matter to provide relief to the community.
The protest adds to a series of recent community-driven demonstrations in the district demanding administrative reforms. It comes even as officials in the region continue to grapple with other pending grievances, including stalled development projects that have drawn criticism from local representatives. Similar frustration over official inaction was recently voiced when worker unions warned of agitation over unresolved demands. Community groups elsewhere in the state have also taken to symbolic protest, as seen in rural Jharkhand in recent days. The demonstration follows a broader pattern of civic and social organizations pressing the district administration for faster redressal of pending applications.
