Sharan Prakash Patil, the Minister for Medical Education
Credit: X/@S_PrakashPatil
Hubballi: Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said that the government had sought a report from the deputy commissioner of Kalaburagi district about a Brahmin student being forced to remove the janivara (sacred thread) while appearing for the NEET examination in Kalaburagi on Sunday.
Speaking to DH on Monday, the minister said that the government would take further action on the basis of the report.
He said an advisory had been issued to the officials concerned to ensure that religious sentiments of any community are not hurt while frisking students before the exams.
“But, such incidents are being reported because of the over-enthusiasm of some staff members,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Akhila Karnataka Brahmana Mahasabha (AKBMS) has planned to pressure the union and state governments to bring in Brahmin Protection Act for safety of Brahmins.
Mahasabha state president Raghunath said the proposal would be discussed at a meeting of the Mahasabha.
“Brahmins are being targeted as our population is less. The circumstances would have been different if similar incidents had happened with students of other communities. The Kalaburagi incident is a sort of atrocity,” Raghunath said.
Sripad, the student who was forced to remove the sacred thread, has lodged a complaint against two staff members on exam duty at St Mary School.
“After the janivara was removed, I was in shock and wrote my hall ticket number wrong. I don’t know what I have written. Action should be taken against the staff and school authorities for hurting religious sentiments,” he urged in his complaint.