Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that Brahmins are held in high regard by birth because of their dedication, sacrifice and for guiding other communities.

Speaking at a meeting of Akhil Brahmin Mahasabha in Kota on Sunday, Birla said, “Brahmin samaj hamesha sampoorn samaj ko maargdarshan dete hue kaam karta hai. Aaj vartaman samay ke andar bhi, ek gaon ek dhani mein ek Brahmin parivar bhi rehta hai, toh woh Brahmin parivar apne samarpan aur seva ke kaaran, uska hamesha ucch sthan hota hai…Aur isiliye is samaj mein paida hone ke saath he, aapka samman, sampoorn samaj mein ucch roop se hota hai. (Brahmin community always works towards guiding all other communities, and the community has always held a guiding role in this nation. It has always played a role in spreading education and values in the society. And even today if just one Brahmin family lives in a village or a hutment, then that Brahmin family always holds a high position due to its dedication and service…hence, Brahmins are held in high regard in society by the virtue of their birth).”

Birla also tweeted his appreciation for the community and also posted a similar update on Facebook on Sunday.

His Twitter statement was condemned by several users, some of them said that he should respect his position as the Speaker, which is held in high regard.

Kavita Srivastava, Rajasthan president of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) condemned Birla’s statement and demanded that he withdraw his words, saying that, “to establish a community’s supremacy or declare one community over other communities is against Article 14 of the Constitution. This, in a way, demeans other castes and promotes casteism.” Srivastava also announced that PUCL will send a complaint against Birla to President Ram Nath Kovind.

At the Sunday meeting, Birla, who is also an MP from Kota, said, “in this country, you will still find that most teachers today hail from Brahmin community.”

Since the meet was a Yuvak Yuviti Parichay Sammelan (youth introduction meet) for families of Brahmin youth to search for prospective brides and grooms, Birla said that Parichay Sammelan was the only way to save the society.

“If we want to bind the society together, then there is only one arrangement today; like our ancestors used to forge alliances for marriage, we today have parichay sammelan, and if we want to save the society, then this is the lone alternative,” he said. He contrasted it with alliances over websites and through “marriage brokers,” saying that earlier the marriages didn’t break.

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