Mandya: In what seems to be a very unfortunate series of events, a young man who has been nurturing a dream of becoming an IAS officer to work for the system is being rejected by the same system for a crime that was not committed by him!

Raghu is a 22-year-old ambitious man, born to a woman who was raped years ago and has been mentally disturbed. This crime that occurred with his mother has left him completely helpless even now, as he runs pillar to post to get a caste certificate in order to pursue his studies. Approaching the Mandya DC office, Vidhana Soudha and Chief Minister’s office has been a regular unfruitful affair for this youngster as he is still not able to get a caste certificate without knowing the identity of his father.

Raghu studied up to class 9 at a Government run Home for children, but was unable to write his SSLC exam due to lack of a caste certificate.

Determined to receive formal education, Raghu cleared his SSLC exams through the National Institute of Open Schooling. He has been trying to pursue his higher studies but to no effect as he requires a caste certificate which the Education department has denied him for not having mentioned his father’s name and caste in the transfer certificate.

“I have been pursuing PU studies through the same institution. I want to be an IAS officer. This is my dream. My mother’s delivery was done with the help of police and I was brought up in government home for children. I do not know who my father is and neither do I know my caste”, said Raghu in an interview with News Karnataka.

He failed to avail any of the facilities due to the lack of the caste certificate. Now, he has been running desperately from pillar to post to get one.

Raghu urged the Caste verification committee of Mandya district to register his name under the SC (Adidravida) caste, because his mother, before giving birth to him was taken care of by Dalits near RTO office in Mandya.

The committee opined that he would be given an Adi Karnataka or Arya Dravida caste certificate after verification. But the deputy commissioner is not willing to give him the certificate. Now, Raghu has approached the Vidhana Soudha office to complain about the same.

Few well-wishers close to him opined that while student orgainsations protest for political gains why not support a cause like this?

Media advisor to CM Dinesh Amin Mattu, speaking to News Karnataka said, “This is a first of its kind case. I have spoken to Social Welfare minister and Mandya DC about the same. It will take sometime. The boy does not have a job and he is facing many problems. His mother is mute, so we are not able to identify his caste. We are looking into this issue and action will be taken at the earliest,” he assured.

It is up to the government now to provide an answer as to on what basis he should be given a caste certificate? A young man who wants to serve the country is wandering around for a caste certificate for the past 6 years. It is time that the government takes a stand on social equality, justice and most importantly, the right to education for Raghu.