Balangir, Nov. 11: Hundreds of tribal people from 10 districts of western Odisha staged a rally here to protest the alleged indifferent attitude of the state government towards various issues concerning them.

Armed with traditional weapons like bows, arrows and swords, the protesters took out a huge rally and submitted a memorandum addressed to chief minister Naveen Patnaik through the district collector.

Addressing the rally, secretary general of Paschim Odisha Adibasi Kalyan Mahasangh Niranjan Bishi said 357 fake tribals had been identified in Balangir district, of whom 70 were studying by availing a tribal quota and 285 were working as government servants.

Besides, two fake tribals were now people’s representatives by using fake caste certificates.

“We have handed over the list of fake tribals to the government and according to an order of the Supreme Court in 1995, all the caste certificates possessed by the fake tribals should be cancelled within six months. Action should also be initiated against parents of the fake tribals under section 420, 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code. The Supreme Court order also talks about initiation of disciplinary action against the revenue inspector and the tehsildar responsible for issuing false caste certificates,” Bishi said.

Bishi said that after three years, the state-level scrutiny committee, which is inquiring into the allegations of fake tribal certificates cases, has cancelled only 31 certificates.

“Till now, only 17 fake tribals have been dismissed from their jobs and 12 have been arrested. A particular community having surname Dora have been engaged in government service though they belong to the Telenga community, which comes under the OBC category. But they have fraudulently obtained caste certificates showing them as tribals,” Bishi said.