Women insulted at VRO exam

Aspirants asked to remove mangalsutras

A few activists from the city moved the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Monday in support of some women who were asked to remove their mangalsutra when they went to write the village revenue officers exam on Sunday. Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad raised many questions against this and demanded action against the authorities who were responsible for “insulting the modesty of the women.”

Mr M.V.R. Sharma, an activist who filed the complaint in the SHRC, said, “The women aspirants who came to write the exams were asked to remove their mangalsutras and toe rings before entering the examination hall. Those who declined to remove them were not allowed to attend the exams. Many women returned home without writing the exam. This has outraged the modesty of women and also deliberately insulted the sentiments of Hindus.”

Governor E.S.L. Narsimhan sought an explanation from the Telangana State Public Service Commission regarding the mangalsutra incident. The commission released an official statement on Monday evening.

The TSPSC said, “The TSPSC has systematically planned the conduct of examinations and has not issued any instructions to remove mangalsutra. Being aware of such complaints raised in previous exams, immediate instructions were issued that such steps are against the commission’s guidelines. In a stray incident where at one centre in Medak district, initially a few women candidates were asked to remove their mangalsutra to allow them into the exam centre but the issue was brought to the notice of the commission.”

The commission further added, “Immediate instructions were issued that such steps are against the commission’s guidelines and no such instructions were given to the chief superintendents. The joint collector and RDO Narsapur visited the centre and ensured that no such inconvenience is caused to women candidates. TSPSC has instructed the District Collector to conduct an inquiry into the incident and asked him to submit a detailed report.”

The TSPSC went onto say that, the district collector said that only 4 or 5 candidates were asked to remove their mangalsutras/toe rings and immediately the mistake was rectified.

GOVERNOR E.S.L. Narsimhan sought an explanation from the Telangana State Public Service Commission regarding the mangalsutra incident.