‘High Court not allowing SC-ST children to become civil judges’:IAS and MP AJJAKS chief Santosh Verma’s claim sparks fresh controversy, days after remark on Brahmin daughters

A fresh controversy has erupted after IAS officer and state Anusuchit Jati-Janjati Adhikari Evam Karmachari Sangh (AJJAKS) President Santosh Verma made direct allegations against the High Court, just days after his remarks involving Brahmin daughters triggered outrage.
Speaking at an association event, Verma claimed that the High Court was preventing children from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from becoming civil judges. “High Court itself not allowing SC-ST students to become civil judges” Addressing the gathering, Verma said, It is not someone else, but the High Court itself that isn’t allowing children of the ST community to become civil judges. This is the same High Court from which we seek assurance to run according to Baba Saheb’s Constitution. The video, reportedly from an AJKAS conference, has intensified the ongoing controversy. Pressure mounts on government; upper-caste groups plan protest Already facing sharp criticism from Brahmin and other upper-caste groups for his earlier statement, Verma is now facing more criticism for his new remark. Several organisations allege that Verma has crossed constitutional limits and accuse the government of avoiding disciplinary action. Upper-caste groups have announced a mass protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence on December 14, with a preparatory meeting expected in Bhopal on Thursday. What Santosh Verma said at the AJJKAS conference Verma claimed that although SC-ST candidates clear major exams such as IAS, IPS, and state administrative services, they are mysteriously filtered out in the civil judge examination. “Why can’t they become civil judges?” He argued, Our children clear CLAT, complete LLB and LLM, and get selected in top services. Their scores are above 75%. Then what is this exam where they cannot even score 50%? Why can’t they become civil judges? Allegation of deliberate low marking Verma further accused exam authorities of intentionally giving marks below the cutoff: You set the cutoff at 50% but deliberately give 49.95. You decide not to give 20 marks in interviews, only 19.5. How will our children ever become civil judges? This is being done by the High Court itself, from whom we expect justice. He added that excluding SC-ST candidates from the judiciary would ultimately block their path to higher judicial posts. Earlier controversial statement on Brahmin daughters At the AJJKAS state conference on 23 November in Bhopal, Verma had said: Until a Brahmin offers his daughter to my son or forms a relationship with him, reservation must continue. Another video surfaced on Tuesday in which he said, “How many Santosh Vermas will you kill, burn or swallow? Now a Santosh Verma will rise from every household, and you won’t have the strength to burn all of them.” These statements have escalated anger among several communities. ‘Operation Bagawat’ and ‘Operation Asmita’: Call for CM house Gherao Angered by the lack of action against Verma, upper-caste groups have declared a mass mobilisation on 14 December. Their social media appeal states: We will no longer tolerate attacks on our religion, culture, and identity. We reject black laws like the SC-ST Act. On 14 December, we will march to the CM House. Organisers have labelled this movement “Operation Bagawat” and “Operation Asmita”, urging maximum participation. Demands of the upper-caste organisations Brahmin organisations call emergency meeting Sudhir Nayak, president of the Ministry Officers’ Employees Union, said the government’s silence on Verma’s remarks has angered Brahmin organisations across the state. Protests, effigy burnings, and demonstrations are taking place in several regions. A joint meeting of Brahmin groups has been called on 11 December in Bhopal to decide further steps. “Then there will be Mahabharat in India”: Harsha Richhariya reacts Sanatan preacher Harsha Richhariya strongly criticised Verma’s remarks, questioning whether he had daughters of his own. She said, If, as he claims, one Santosh Verma emerges from every house with such a mindset, then we want Durga, Kali and fierce protectors to rise from every Brahmin household. Then Mahabharat will happen in India. She added that daughters belong to all communities and no one has the right to insult them.