Kochi: Kerala high court judge Justice V Chitambaresh has grabbed headlines for his remark made at the Tamil Brahmin Global meet in Kochi on July 19. Justice Chitambaresh during the inaugural speech said that the Brahmins are twice-born and possessed certain distinct characteristics.

Justice Chitambaresh reportedly said at the three- day event organised by Kerala Brahmana Sabha, “Who is a Brahmin? Brahmin is twice-born due to Poorva Janma Sukrutham (good deeds of past life). They have distinct characteristics like clean habits, vegetarian, a lover of Carnatic music and all good qualities rolled into one is a Brahmin.”

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He added that caste based reservations are unnecessary. He then said it is now for Brahmins to deliberate whether reservations should be based on community or caste alone.

Meanwhile, Kerala minister has slammed the judge for his controversial statement. Minister for SC/ST and culture AK Balan said that the statement made by the judge will convey a wrong message to the society and he thinks that the judge has spoken about something that was already in his mind.

Justice Chitambaresh also emphasised on the need for the Brahmin community to not let anyone 'sideline members of the community' and hoped that the global meet will help unite members across the globe and exchange ideas between them.

The judge also claimed that "a Brahmin is never communal, he is always considerate, he is an ahimsavadi (non-violent person)".

Justice Chitambaresh became an additional judge of the Kerala high court in 2011, and was promoted as permanent judge in December 2012.

At the end of his speech the judge said that he is not expressing any opinion at all. “I am just reminding you that there is a platform for you to agitate or voice your concern that economic reservation alone, not caste or communal reservation,” he reportedly said.

Social media has also slammed the judge for his controversial statement.