JOIN USMinister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar on Tuesday justified the truth test that he took at a temple, following the mysterious death of a 14-year-old girl at his home constituency of Thirthahalli, and said swearing in the name of God was enshrined even in the Constitution.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Ratnakar said that he was “pained” by the BJP’s accusation that he was trying to protect the culprits responsible for the girl’s death.
“I believe in God and decided to take the truth test.... There is nothing wrong... as per the Constitution of India even the President has to take oath in the name of God before discharging his duties,” he said. He also refuted the accusation that he had taken the test before God because he was helpless or superstitious.
Ratnakar said that BJP was trying to draw political mileage from the incident by giving it a “communal angle”. Earlier this month, Ratnakar took the truth test at Rameshwara temple in Thirthahalli avowing that he did nothing wrong in the girl’s death case.
Replying to a query, he said priority would be given to obtain uniforms from weavers in the State for distribution among government school students next year. “Only additional requirements that exceed the capacity of the State weavers would be outsourced by calling tenders.”