A Dalit teacher and a tribal police head constable in Rajasthan were suspended on March 1, following allegations that they had asked Brahmin students to remove their janeu (sacred thread) at the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) conducted on February 27-28. The suspensions followed the circulation of videos on social media, which sparked widespread protests.
The suspended officials are Sunita Kumari, a government teacher in Khera Kachwasa village in Dungarpur, and Shivlal, a head constable in the local police force. Both have denied the charges, claiming that no such incident took place.
The controversy began after videos went viral, allegedly showing REET candidates from the Brahmin community being instructed to remove their janeu. This led to protests, particularly from the Brahmin community, who demanded strict action against the two officials.
However, both Kumari and Shivlal have denied the allegations. Kumari’s husband, Vikas Kumar, also a government teacher, stated that the videos were not from the examination center where his wife was posted. He claimed that his wife’s role was to check identity cards, and she was not responsible for frisking students. Kumari also asserted that no such incident took place, and her suspension was unjust.
Similarly, Shivlal’s colleague, a fellow police officer, argued that no one had been asked to remove their janeu and suggested that the viral videos might have been manipulated by miscreants. Shivlal contended that the suspension was an error and hoped that the action would be reversed after an inquiry.
The suspensions triggered protests from both the Brahmin and Dalit/tribal communities in Rajasthan. Brahmin groups expressed anger over the alleged disrespect towards their religious symbols, while Dalit and tribal organizations condemned the suspensions, accusing the government of targeting marginalized communities.
The incident also stirred political tensions. Narendra Paliwal, a leader from the Vipra Foundation, accused the officials of deliberately insulting the Brahmin community and Sanatan Dharma. On the other hand, Dalit and tribal leaders raised questions about why only Kumari and Shivlal, both from marginalized communities, were targeted, despite many individuals from different castes being present at the examination centers.
Rajkumar Roat, the Banswara MP from the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP), suggested that the controversy was being used as propaganda by Brahmin groups. He stated that the accusations were false and that no candidate had been asked to remove their janeu.
The Ambedkar Memorial Welfare Society Rajasthan, an organization advocating for Dalit government employees, demanded the immediate cancellation of the suspension orders for both officials.
