After ‘Dog Babu’, now ‘Dogesh Babu’ submits form for residential certificate in Bihar

After ‘Dog Babu’, another similar case surfaced in poll-bound Bihar as ‘Dogesh Babu’ has submitted the form for residential certificate with his father’s name as “Dogesh ke papa” and mother as “Dogesh ki mummy’ in Bihar’s Nawada district with his picture on July 29. A probe has been ordered into this as well.

Earlier, the Patna district administration had taken action in the case in which a residential certificate was issued in Masaurhi block in the name of ‘Dog Babu’ with a picture of a golden retriever dog but the certificate was cancelled immediately and actions were taken against guilty persons.

Significantly, a day after the Patna district administration took action into the “Dog Babu” case from Masaurhi, the application for the residential certificate submitted in the name of “Dogesh Babu” with father’s name as “Dogesh ke papa” and mother as “Dogesh ke mummy” from Nawada district came to light. The form for the certificate with a picture of a furry dog was submitted online at RTPS (Right To Public Service) portal in office in Sirdala block of Nawada district on July 29. The address was gives as: village: Kharondh, ward number: 11, Post: Sirdala, District: Nawada. The gender of the dog was marked as: male.

Under RTPS, people can apply online for and access essential services like caste, income and residential certificates, streamlining the process and ensuring timely delivery by the official concerned after due verification.

Later, Nawada District Magistrate Ravi Prakash took the issue on serious note and ordered the local police to file an FIR and carry out a thorough probe into it. “Copycats or, rather copy dogs, were caught trying to apply for a residence certificate from Sirdala, Rajauli. FIR is being registered for lame and stale attempt at humour”, Mr. Prakash posted on social media while, adding, “such tampering with administrative processes is not acceptable under any circumstances. Action will be taken against the culprits”.

Of late, the process of SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of electoral rolls across the poll-bound Bihar is said to have caused spurt in applications for residential certificate by common people as it was one of those 11 documents required by the Election Commission for voters’ card verification. The other commonly proofs of identity like Aadhaar card and ration card were not acceptable.

Earlier on July 29, the Patna DM Thiyagarajan SM had visited the Masaurhi block office along with senior administrative officials for a probe into how the residential certificate was issue in the name of “Dog Babu”. The application was immediately cancelled and disciplinary action was taken against guilty officials and employees into this. The ruling JD(U) smacked “conspiracy” by opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal to defame the government into this.

On July 30, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who is the Leader of Opposition in the State assembly wondered, “if under this Special Intensive Revision (SIR) such an intensive probe is to be done, don’t know how many such cases will come out? Earlier, a certificate was issued in the name of Sunny Leone [Bollywood actress] too”, he said while taking a dig on the process.

While addressing media persons, Mr. Yadav further asked, “the JD(U) leaders were saying it as fake [making residential certificate in the name of Dog Babu], if it was fake why the certificate was cancelled next day?”. “You can well-imagine with how much seriousness and intensively, the residential certificates are being issued in the state”, asked Mr. Yadav. The administrative [district] people were saying it [certificate] was being made and smacked “conspiracy”. “If it was a conspiracy why you stamped it?”, Mr. Yadav asked further.