Gadda Brahmins fear ‘outsiders’ might eat into their ST quota

A microscopic community of Gadda Brahmins, which along with Paharis were granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status early this year, are apprehensive that non-community members might be able to get the ST certificates issued in their favour.

Paharis, Gadda Brahmins, Kolis and Paddri were granted ST status in February after which they are eligible for quota in education and government jobs.

However, concerns have been raised by the Gadda Brahmin community stating that some of the non-community members were applying for the ST certificates with the Tehsildars under their category across the region where the community is present.

Gadda Brahmin Sabha’s J&K president Shiv Kumar told The Tribune that after the community got ST status, other people started applying for the certificate under their category. “The Revenue records does not have the term ‘Gadda Brahmin’ but identifies different sub-castes of the community,” he said.

He said that the list of sub-castes has been submitted with the concerned authorities but people from other sub-castes were also applying for quota under their name.

Kumar had earlier submitted a memorandum regarding the issue with the chairman of the J&K Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission, Justice GD Sharma (retd), who had further raised the issue with the Social Welfare Department.

Shiv Kumar said despite ST status to the community, they were living in deplorable conditions and demanded from the UT administration to provide basic infrastructure in areas where Gadda Brahmins live.

Kumar also met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha last month where he informed him about the condition of the community. He urged the L-G to form a Gadda Brahmin Vikas Board for the betterment of the community and also develop the villages where they have significant population.

The community has not more than one lakh members in J&K with their presence mostly in the mountainous areas of Udhampur, Doda and Kathua districts.

The community lives in areas inhabited by Gaddis and Sippis, who already enjoy ST status. The Gadda Brahmins perform all religious ceremonies of Gaddis and Sippis.