DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt has triggered a political controversy after allegedly using the derogatory Hindi word “saala” while referring to students during his reaction to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
The Congress and the Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh have condemned the remark, accusing Bhatt of insulting students and job aspirants across the country. They have demanded that the BJP leader publicly apologise to the youth of Uttarakhand.
The controversy erupted amid political reactions to Pradhan’s resignation following sustained protests by students over the paper leak issue. A video clip of Bhatt’s statement has since drawn sharp criticism from Opposition leaders and youth organisations.
Congress state spokesperson Pratima Singh said the language used by the BJP president reflected the ruling party’s attitude towards young people demanding transparent recruitment examinations.
“The BJP repeatedly describes itself as a disciplined party committed to political decorum, but its state president could not exercise restraint over his language,” Pratima told the TNIE.
“The words used by Mahendra Bhatt for students reveal the BJP’s real mindset. It is deeply unfortunate that young people who struggled for nearly 70 days to protect their future and demand a transparent recruitment system should be subjected to such abuse,” she added.
Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh president Ram Kandwal also reacted strongly, saying the remark had hurt millions of students preparing for competitive examinations.
“The BJP state president has used insulting language against hardworking youth across the country. Lakhs of aspirants study day and night and are fighting democratically for fairness and transparency in recruitment examinations,” Kandwal said.
“Using such words for them amounts to insulting an entire generation. The statement reflects Mahendra Bhatt’s mentality and upbringing,” he added.
The association has threatened to launch a statewide agitation if Bhatt fails to issue a public apology within 24 hours.
The episode has also revived memories of a similar controversy during the Uttarakhand Assembly’s Budget Session on March 16, 2025. Then finance minister Premchand Aggarwal had used the word “saale” during a heated exchange with Opposition legislators.
The expression, widely regarded as abusive and unparliamentary in such a context, sparked widespread protests and intensified political pressure on Aggarwal, who subsequently stepped down from his ministerial post.
The Opposition now maintains that Bhatt must be held to the same standards of public conduct and accountability.