Outcry in Kalaburagi: NEET Aspirant's Sacred Thread Sparks Protest

A protest erupted in Kalaburagi after a NEET candidate was compelled to remove his sacred thread before the exam. The incident incited anger among the Brahmin community, leading to accusations of religious insensitivity towards the exam centre's staff and calls for disciplinary action against those involved.

A protest erupted outside a NEET examination centre in Kalaburagi on Sunday when a candidate was allegedly forced to remove his sacred thread, a 'Janeu' traditionally worn by Brahmins, to sit for the exam. The incident occurred at St. Mary's School exam centre and has sparked outrage among the Brahmin community, who have accused the exam staff of religious insensitivity.

The candidate's father described the incident, stating that the young aspirant had returned crying after being told to remove his Janeu by the exam staff. "The child had gone in for counselling about half an hour ago. What happened was that the child had a sacred thread (called 'Janivaar' or 'Janeu') worn according to our religion, and someone from the staff told him to remove it before entering. The child was crying and told us that he had to remove the thread to be allowed inside. He came outside crying and gave it to me (his father). I was standing outside the gate. I asked to go inside but was not allowed," the father recounted.

Advocate Raghvendra Kulkarni, who addressed the protestors, outlined the sequence of events, saying that according to the exam staff's rules, students wearing religious threads or symbols were required to remove them before entering. Kulkarni criticized the Karnataka government's role in the incident, advocating for a boycott of the current government. He stated that the protest in front of St. Mary's College was backed by community support and warned of further actions, including filing a police complaint against the implicated staff and management.

(With inputs from agencies.)