V Somanna, Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti, has advised railway authorities not to force candidates to remove sacred threads and mangalsutras before taking the Indian Railways Nursing Superintendent recruitment exam.

This intervention occurred after a dispute emerged over a Railway Department circular, which prohibited religious symbols such as holy threads and mangalsutras in examination halls. The move prompted an uproar among Hindu groups.

Highlighting the issue, Mangaluru MP Capt Brijesh Chowta expressed concerns with the Railway Department and spoke directly with Union Minister Somanna.

“Happy to inform that after we brought the matter to his attention, Union Minister of State V Somanna has intervened and instructed authorities not to demand the removal of religious symbols like mangalsutra and janivara from candidates,” Captain Brijesh Chowta announced on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) today, Monday, April 28.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also reacted sharply, criticising the original directive. "BJP says one thing and does another. Forcing the removal of religious symbols during examinations is wrong. The order should be withdrawn," he said while speaking to reporters outside his residence in Bengaluru.

He further stated that while authorities may scrutinise candidates to prevent malpractice, forcibly removing religious objects such as earrings, nose rings, sacred threads, and vermillion marks is not allowed. He acknowledged concerns about the misuse of small electronic gadgets but insisted that religious sensibilities be honoured.

The Railways' original list of prohibited items includes mobile phones, calculators, health bands, and Bluetooth devices, as well as personal accessories including belts, bracelets, handbags, and religious objects like mangalsutras and sacred threads.

The uproar follows similar instances during the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) when students were requested to remove sacred threads before entering exam halls. Cases were reported in Shivamogga, Bidar, and Dharwad. In Bidar, a student who refused to remove the sacred thread was denied permission to take the exam.