In a bid to appease the Brahmin community who were upset with the Manohar lal Khattar Government over a question asked by Haryana Service Staff Commission (HSSC) in the junior engineer (JE) recruitment exam, the State Government on Thursday suspended HSSC chairperson, ordered a high-level inquiry and registration of FIR against the paper-setter and the publisher.
The decision was taken by the Chief Minister Manohar lal on Thursday after a delegation led by Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma met him at Haryana Niwas here to press for a demand of strict action against those responsible for the faux pas in HSSC exam.
The delegation included representatives from Brahmin organizations, MlAs and MPs.
Not in a mood to upset the Brahmin community in a pre-election year, the Chief Minister also apologized to the community during the meeting, for the question in the HSSC exam that allegedly “insulted” the Brahmins
The question paper given to the applicants on April 10 for recruitment as junior engineer for Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) had a question about ‘sign of a bad omen prevalent in Haryana’. The options had included: seeing an empty pitcher, a casket full of fuel, meeting with a black Brahmin or sight of a Brahmin girl.
The HSSC has been mired in controversy over the past two months. In March, two audio conversations alleging financial impropriety by Bharat Bhushan Bharti, chairman HSSC went viral and later, the flying squad of the Chief Minister had unearthed a cash-for-job racket involving employees of the HSSC.
Recently, the question related to ‘bad omen’ in the HSSC exam stirred a controversy.
The opposition had been demanding the suspension of HSSC chairman since March and several protests were also held across the state over the issue of HSSC cash-for-job scam and the controversial question.
After his meeting with the Chief Minister on Thursday, the Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, while talking to the mediapersons said that the government has decided to set up a high-level inquiry commission to investigate the issue of the question pertaining to Brahmins in the exam
“HSSC chairman, BB Bharti, would remain suspended until the inquiry is completed. Apart from this, Haryana Government will get an FIR registered against the Delhi-based company, the paper-setter, and the publisher,” said the Minister.
When asked about the inquiry commission, Sharma said that the advice of the Advocate General, Haryana, is being sought on this issue. Since the HSSC is an autonomous body, the inquiry would be conducted by a high-level officer or may be by a retired or sitting judge of High Court, said he.
In reply to a question about the details of paper setter, he said the name of the company and the paper setter could not be disclosed on grounds of secrecy.
The company has already tendered an apology in writing for the controversial question and the government has also blacklisted the company and publisher from all future assignments, he added.
When asked who would look after the work of chairman during the suspension period of BB Bharti, Sharma said an officiating chairman would be appointed for the time being.
Notably, agitated over the multiple choice objective question, various Brahmin organizations had on Monday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi urging strict action against the erring persons.
On the issue, Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu had also written to the HSSC chairperson seeking an inquiry and strict action against erring persons.
last week, the HSSC in a statement had stated that it has already withdrawn the question and the mistake was inadvertent and unintentional.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has termed the government’s action on the issue as mere eye-wash.