RRB Nursing Superintendent Exam: Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organizations on Monday protested against the Railway Department's directive to remove religious symbols from candidates appearing for the Nursing Superintendent exam and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
After massive protests, railway officials have now clarified that candidates will not be required to remove religious symbols like mangalsutra (sacred necklace worn by married Hindu women) and janiwara (sacred thread worn by Brahmins) before entering the examination hall.
Amid growing outrage, Minister of State for Railways V Somanna intervened in the matter and clarified that candidates appearing for the Railway Recruitment Board's Nursing Superintendent exam will not be required to remove any religious symbol or mangalsutra.
He directed officials to ensure that religious sentiments are respected during the examination process.
According to officials, the exam will be held on Tuesday (April 29) at Manail Srinivas Nayak Besant Vidya Kendra in Bondel, Mangaluru.
Initially, the admit card had directed candidates to remove their mangalsutra and janivara before appearing for the exam.
Hindu organisations protest
Speaking to PTI, Vishwa Hindu Parishad regional leader Sharan Pumpwell said, "We are monitoring the developments; if any of these steps (removing Hindu religious symbols from candidates) are taken by the exam authorities, we will take corrective steps."
The Hindu organisations argued that this had deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.
"Asking married women to remove their mangalsutra and sacred sindoor, or men to remove their janivara, is tantamount to attacking sacred Hindu traditions followed by crores of people," the VHP spokesperson said.
The organization submitted a memorandum to the district authorities demanding that Hindu candidates be allowed to appear for the exam without compromising their religious identity.
The controversy has come to the fore in the wake of recent incidents during the Common Entrance Test (CET), where some candidates were allegedly asked to remove their sacred thread at some examination centres.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, responding to questions from reporters in Bengaluru on the issue, hit out at the BJP, the party leading the government at the Centre.
"We have been saying that religious things like mangalsutra, janivars should be checked, but asking them to be removed is not right. The real face of the BJP is different. They say one thing and do another... It should be withdrawn and people should express their anger against it," he said.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.
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