Union Minister Defends Janivara as a Core Religious Symbol Beyond Brahmins

Synopsis

On April 19, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi emphasized that the Janivara, or sacred thread, is a significant religious symbol beyond just Brahmins. He condemned recent incidents where students were forced to remove their Janivara before exams, urging the government to address these issues seriously.

Key Takeaways

Janivara is part of a broader religious belief, not limited to Brahmins.
Recent student incidents demonstrate a need for protective guidelines.
The government must take responsibility for such incidents.
Criticism aimed at Congress for distracting from key issues.
Call for respect towards all religious beliefs and practices.

Hubballi, (Karnataka) April 19 (NationPress) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi stated on Saturday that ‘Janivara’ (sacred thread) is not exclusively worn by Brahmins, but is integral to the religious belief system.

“It’s not solely Brahmins who don the Janivara. It is part of a deeper religious conviction. The recent incident represents an assault on this belief. The government must take this matter seriously and provide clear and explicit guidelines,” the Union Minister remarked while denouncing an occurrence where students were reportedly compelled to remove their Janivara prior to taking the CET examination at venues in Bidar and Shivamogga.

He urged the state government that merely suspending the home guard implicated in the incident and absolving itself of responsibility is inadequate.

He criticized the government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for persistently attempting to divert attention whenever issues such as the caste census or administrative shortcomings arise.

In response to the enforcement of the proposed ‘Rohith Vemula Act’, the minister commented: “It’s typical for Congress to embroil themselves in controversies and subsequently try to divert public focus. Who did they reach out to for the alleged caste census? Not a single household has been assessed. When challenges were presented, they hastily altered their position, asserting it was an economic survey rather than a caste census.”

He further remarked that the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and others within Congress lack genuine concern for the nation, asserting that they do not maintain a sincere or transparent position on national integrity or citizen welfare.

“Their sole interest lies in vote-bank politics. Rahul Gandhi is not engaging in politics for the nation's benefit. His attention is entirely on 24/7 vote-bank maneuvering. Even the letter penned by Siddaramaiah demanding the execution of the ‘Rohith Vemula Act’ in the state is part of this broader strategy,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, JD-S Youth Wing President Nikhil Kumaraswamy labeled the incident as ‘unacceptable’.

“We must learn to honor the beliefs of every caste and religion. Denying a student the opportunity to sit for an exam simply because they are adorned with the Janivara is untenable. I vehemently condemn this event. The government must ensure that such occurrences do not happen again,” he stated to reporters in Bengaluru.

“Can someone use the Janivara to cheat? Is it possible for a student to conceal a note in the Janivara? If someone is wearing a smart watch, requiring its removal is justified. However, compelling an individual to remove a Janivara and thereby disrespecting an entire community is unjust,” he continued.

Nikhil urged that strict measures be enforced against those accountable, insisting that they must be counseled and actions taken to prevent such incidents from recurring.