Which one among the following is not a sign of bad omen in Haryana?
1. Empty Pitcher
2. A casket full of fuel
3. Meeting with a black Brahmin
4. The sight of a Brahmin girl
This is one of the questions asked by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), a recruitment department of the state government which recruits non-gazetted officials for the state government. The question was asked in a recently held competitive examination for the recruitment of junior engineers. The right answer accepted by the HSSC is “The sight of a Brahmin girl”, clearly meaning the remaining are the examples of bad omen. Does the government’s own department believe so?
However, some of the people in the state still believe in superstitions and use such adages on some occasions. Today, in the era of science and technology, such notions have no base and only support biased behaviour. Later, the HSSC withdrew this question and issued a notice, expressing regret.
But this derogatory question has outraged the people of the state, and this anger has been expressed on various political and social platforms. National Media Incharge of Indian National Congress, Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted the following.
Obscurantism, blind Orthodoxy & rank Sexism has become the DNA of BJP.
Latest pearl of wisdom of Khattar Govt & SSC in shape of question asked in J.E exam is derogatory & demeaning to the hilt, not only to Brahmin community but to women per se. Reflects the BJP mindset. pic.twitter.com/lRVBhtGVTf
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 5, 2018
Terming the HSSC “Haryana Service Sales Centre” during a press conference at Chandigarh on May 9 and demanding the registration of an FIR against the guilty officials, the former Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “The functioning of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), which is already under the scanner following a leak of an audio clip that exposed chairman Bharat Bhushan Bharti’s corrupt activities, has now insulted Brahmins.”
The Brahmin community in different parts of Haryana has also staged protests on the issue. Congress MLA and former Haryana Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma expressing his furore said on Wednesday that he would file a police complaint against the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) authorities over the issue.
He went on to say, “The Chief Minister is not speaking on it, it shows his silent consent. If our demand for registration of an FIR against HSCC office-bearers is not met within a week, then we would lodge a complaint with the police in Panchkula. If police fail to act on our complaint, then we would approach the court… As a protest, as many as 101 black Brahmins will appear before the Chief Minister after consulting with Brahmin organisations.”