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Hans India
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Don't ask candidates to remove sacred thread, mangalsutra: Min
Bengaluru: Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti, V. Somanna, has issued directions to the authorities not to remove sacred threads and mangalsutras from candidates appearing for the exam for the nursing superintendent posts organised by the Railway Recruitment Board. Earlier, a circular issued by the Department of Railways, mentioned in the candidates' admission letters, had stated that individuals wearing sacred threads, mangalsutras, and other religious symbols would not be allowed inside the exam centres. Various Hindu organisations had expressed outrage over this circular A mangalsutra is a sacred necklace, usually with black beads and gold, worn by Hindu married women. It symbolises the marital BJP MP Brajesh Chowta brought the matter to the notice of the Railway Department and also spoke to the Union Minister about it. Taking to social media platform X on Monday, MP Brajesh Chowta stated, 'Glad to inform that, after we brought it to his attention, our Union Minister of State V. Somanna has intervened and instructed authorities not to indulge in any such practices that require those appearing for the examination for the post of 'Nursing Superintendent' of Indian Railways to remove religious symbols and ornaments like the Mangalsutra and Janivara, as was said to be required by the letter of admission.' Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated, 'The BJP says one thing and does another. That is their true face. Saying that mangalsutra and janivara must be removed during the railway examination is not correct. This order must be withdrawn.' Shivakumar was responding to questions from the media near his residence in Bengaluru on Monday morning. When asked about the ban on wearing the janivara and mangalsutra during the railway exam, he said, 'Religious symbols such as earrings, nose rings, mangalsutra, janivara, sacred thread, and vermillion mark on the forehead are commonly worn. Authorities may conduct inspections, but it is not right to force their removal. In the past, we have seen instances where small devices were misused to cheat in exams. People themselves must express their outrage against this.' The department had earlier listed religious symbols, ornaments, bangles, and mangalsutras among the banned items. The list also included electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, pagers, watches, earphones, Bluetooth-enabled devices, microphones, health bands, calculators, books, pens, papers, pencils, erasers, pouches, scales, writing pads, metallic wear, belts, bracelets, and handbags. The development comes close on the heels of the removal of sacred threads from students during the Common Entrance Test (CET), a state-level entrance exam conducted by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) for admissions to various undergraduate courses, including engineering, medical, and dental programmes, which has stirred controversy in Karnataka.
Indian Express
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Railways withdraws mangalsutra ban on recruitment exam candidates after outrage
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) on Monday withdrew an order that barred women candidates of a recruitment exam from wearing mangalsutras and sacred threads after it drew flak. As per admission letters issued for the nursing superintendent exam, a Railways circular barred entry to individuals wearing religious symbols such as sacred threads and mangalsutras, triggering outrage from Hindu organisations as well as BJP leaders. The mangalsutra, a necklace with black beads and gold, is a sacred symbol of marriage worn by Hindu women. Brajesh Chowta, BJP MP for Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada constituency, took up the matter with Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna. 'Glad to inform that, after we brought it to his attention, Union Minister V Somanna has intervened and instructed authorities not to enforce the removal of religious symbols and ornaments like the Mangalsutra and Janivara for candidates appearing for the Indian Railways 'Nursing Superintendent' examination,' he wrote on X. ದಿನಾಂಕ 28, 29 ಮತ್ತು 30 ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ 2025ರಂದು ರೈಲ್ವೆ ಇಲಾಖೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನೇಮಕಾತಿಗಾಗಿ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿಗಳು ಜನಿವಾರ, ಮಾಂಗಲ್ಯ ಸೂತ್ರ ತೆಗೆದಿಟ್ಟು ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆ ಬರೆಯಬೇಕೆಂಬ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನು ಪರೀಕ್ಷಾ ನಿಯಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆಯೆಂಬ ದೂರುಗಳು ನನಗೆ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ಈ ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ಸಂಸದರು, ಶಾಸಕರು ಇದನ್ನು ಸರಿಪಡಿಸುವಂತೆ ಮನವಿ… — V. Somanna (@VSOMANNA_BJP) April 28, 2025 Initially, the banned list included ornaments, bangles, sacred threads, mangalsutras, and electronic gadgets like mobile phones, watches, Bluetooth devices, and calculators. Somanna said he had directed officials not to prohibit candidates from wearing sacred threads and mangalsutras. The development follows a controversy during a recent Karnataka's Common Entrance Test (CET) where sacred threads were removed from candidates before they were allowed to sit for the exam. Cases were reported from Shivamogga, Bidar, and Dharwad that authorities had cut sacred threads or denied entry to students who had refused to remove them. Reacting to the fresh controversy, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar criticised the BJP, which rules the Centre. 'The BJP says one thing and does another. It's wrong to insist that candidates remove mangalsutras and janivaras for the exam. Such orders must be withdrawn,' he said.
