Uttarakhand BJP Chief Backtracks on Comments Against Students Amid Opposition Pressure
New Delhi: Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt issued a public apology for making objectionable remarks against students following former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, after facing widespread backlash from Congress and other organisations.
On Saturday (July 25) a video of Bhatt surfaced online, wherein he allegedly used expletives to address the students who had been calling for Pradhan's resignation over irregularities in the NEET-UG examination and numerous pitfalls in the national education system highlighted earlier this year.
Although Bhatt's exact wording is not clear, as per video clippings of his statement circulating online, he seemed to refer to students as "saale," questioning what students "sitting at home" had to do with the protests.
Flagging the comments, state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal said Bhatt's abusive language made apparent his hurt on Pradhan's resignation. He further reminded Bhatt that the use of similar language by a BJP politician, Premchand Aggarwal, had earlier resulted in his removal from a ministerial post.
"The comments reflect your [Bhatt's] feelings towards students and the people of Uttarakhand. Before this issue extends any further, I hope you issue a public apology. If not, I assure you students will hold an indefinite sit-up outside your premises until you do so," said Godiyal in a video message on X.
भाजपा अध्यक्ष महेंद्र भट्ट जी का छात्रों को अपशब्द कहना यहां के लोगों के प्रति उनकी भावनाओं को दर्शाता है। इससे ये प्रतीत होता है कि धर्मेंद्र प्रधान के इस्तीफे से भट्ट जी बहुत आहत हैं। pic.twitter.com/eMfb8GxpBa
— Ganesh Godiyal (@UKGaneshGodiyal) July 25, 2026
However, Bhatt maintained that he did not use any expletives and accused the opposition of misinterpreting his remarks. Uttarakhand BJP media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan also came to Bhatt's defence and said his words were taken out of context.
To this, Godiyal replied that Bhatt was trying to evade responsibility instead of owning up to his mistakes and unconditionally apologising to the students.
भाजपा प्रदेश अध्यक्ष महेंद्र भट्ट का स्पष्टीकरण गलती स्वीकार करने का नहीं, बल्कि उससे बचने का प्रयास है। यदि वास्तव में उनसे भूल हुई थी, तो उन्हें स्पष्ट शब्दों में कहना चाहिए था "मुझसे गलती हुई, मैं छात्रों से बिना शर्त माफी मांगता हूँ।
लेकिन उन्होंने यह कहकर कि "जो मैंने कहा,… pic.twitter.com/uZhnMwse9a
— Ganesh Godiyal (@UKGaneshGodiyal) July 27, 2026
In a social media post on Facebook on Sunday (July 26), Bhatt wrote, "If any words or pronunciations from my statements yesterday offended anyone, I express my regret. It was not my intention to hurt anyone's sentiments."
The controversy comes amid allegations of a question paper leak at Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU).
This article went live on July twenty-seventh, two thousand twenty six, at fifty-eight minutes past one in the afternoon.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
