New Delhi

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday accused the Indian National Congress government in Karnataka of being “anti-Hindu” and following double standards after reports that students appearing for the Common Entrance Test (CET) were asked to remove their janeu.

The controversy began after five Brahmin students allegedly said they were told to remove the sacred thread before entering the examination hall at a college in Bengaluru during the CET on Friday. Students claimed invigilators at Krupanidhi College told them they would need to remove the janeu or yajnopaveetha to sit for the exam.

Reacting strongly, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla questioned whether being Hindu had become a problem in Karnataka. He alleged students were forced to choose between their faith and their future, adding that a similar issue had arisen last year as well.

Poonawalla further accused the state government of pursuing appeasement politics and maintaining different standards for different communities. He claimed the Congress supported religious attire such as hijab and burqa in classrooms, but objected to Hindu religious symbols like the sacred thread.

He also alleged similar incidents had taken place in other Congress-ruled states, citing cases involving tilak and mangalsutra. According to him, this reflected “second-class treatment” of Hindus.

As the matter escalated politically, the college suspended the concerned invigilator pending an inquiry. The Karnataka government also ordered a probe into the incident.

Police registered a case and detained three staff members of Krupanidhi College who were responsible for exam checks for questioning, officials said.

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A similar controversy had occurred last year in Karnataka, after which the state government had clarified that candidates would not be required to remove the janeu while appearing for CET examinations.