Arise Bharat

West Godavari, March 6, 2025 — In a seismic development shaking the political landscape of Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, authorities have officially cancelled the Scheduled Caste (SC) certificate of Kona Joseph, a Christian man accused of repeatedly exploiting constitutional protections to wage political vendettas and siphon funds meant for genuine SC community members.

Joseph, a resident of Elurupadu village, was at the center of a long-running scheme that has now been exposed in spectacular fashion. Born to parents from the Hindu Scheduled Caste community who later embraced Christianity, Joseph himself converted but deliberately concealed his religious identity to illegally secure an SC certificate — a document that unlocked a trove of government benefits and legal privileges.

But Joseph’s ambitions went far beyond personal gain. Armed with a fraudulent SC status, he ascended the ranks of local politics, only to transform his newfound power into a weapon of retribution. Over the years, he filed at least 14 cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, targeting his political adversaries, allegedly with the dual aim of silencing opposition and cashing in on victim compensation funds intended for real victims of caste-based atrocities.

One of Joseph’s most audacious moves was filing a case against none other than Sri Raghuramakrishnam Raju, the sitting Deputy Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and former MP of Narasapuram. Recognizing the political undercurrents and aware of Joseph’s concealed Christian identity, Raju took decisive action to unmask the deception.

In an extraordinary effort, Raju gathered irrefutable evidence — including school records, photographs displaying Christian symbols in Joseph’s residence, and documentation of Christian funeral rites performed for his parents. Armed with this, Raju submitted a formal petition to the West Godavari District Collector, demanding a full investigation and the cancellation of Joseph’s SC certificate.

Invoking the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950, which clearly states that individuals from SC backgrounds lose their SC status upon converting to Christianity, the district administration launched a rigorous probe. A District Level Scrutiny Committee, led by the Joint Collector and comprising top officials from the Social Welfare and Empowerment Department, meticulously investigated the allegations under the legal framework established by G.O Ms.No.58 of 1997.

The inquiry left no doubt: based on thorough verification, including reports from the Tahsildar of Kalla Mandal, the committee confirmed that Kona Joseph is indeed a practicing Christian — rendering his claim to SC status null and void.

In a decisive blow to fraudulent misuse of caste protections, the West Godavari District Collector officially cancelled Kona Joseph’s SC caste certificate, terminating his eligibility for benefits and legally dismantling his ability to file further cases under the SC/ST Act. This unprecedented action not only safeguards the rights of genuine SC community members but also sends a strong message to those seeking to manipulate constitutional provisions for political or financial gain.

This case has erupted into a statewide sensation, with citizens demanding further investigations into similar frauds. What was once whispered in political circles is now headline news: the era of fake caste claims to fuel personal empires is facing its reckoning.

As the dust settles on this high-profile case, political observers are calling it a watershed moment in the fight against caste certificate fraud. For now, the people of West Godavari can breathe a sigh of relief — justice, it seems, has finally been served.