Sabhapati in caste goof-up glare

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 12: The sub-divisional officer, Darjeeling (Sadar), has asked the sabhapati of Chanchal-I panchayat samiti Mrs Dali Choudhury to “deposit” her original caste certificate to the government within a fortnight of receiving the order.Though she refused to receive the letter issued by the SDO Darjeeling, finally she had to receive the letter yesterday.The letter was issued on 6 March this year following a recent court order where Mrs Choudhury could not prove herself that she was entitled to get the caste certificate.It may be noted that Mrs Choudhury had filed a writ petition to the High Court challenging the government direction when it was proved that she had managed the schedule caste certificate giving false statement and information.Official sources said that the former sabhapati of Chanchal-I panchayat samiti Mrs Shova Das had lodged a complaint with the government officials a few years back and claimed that ‘Mrs Choudhury does not belong to the SC category'.On the basis of the complaint, the Darjeeling SDO started investigation with the assistance of the Jalpaiguri SDO as she was the original resident of Jalpaiguri district where her bothers still live.The caste certificate was issued in the name of Mrs Dali Choudhury as SC from the office of the Darjeeling SDO (Sadar).The Chanchal SDO Mr Debasish Sarkar has been informed about the matter to restraint the sabhapati from official work.It may be noted that Mrs Choudhury belongs to the Congress and based on the caste certificate she had contested and finally she was elected and nominated as sabhapati of the panchayat samiti.The CPI-M leaders have planned to make it an issue in forthcoming panchayat polls in Chanchal.