NEET Row: Uttarakhand BJP Chief Apologises Over Remarks On Students, Says 'I Regret It'
NEET Row: Uttarakhand BJP Chief Apologises Over Remarks On Students, Says 'I Regret It' Published By, Last Updated: July 27, 2026, 09:57 IST The controversy
NEET Row: Uttarakhand BJP Chief Apologises Over Remarks On Students, Says 'I Regret It' Published By, Last Updated: July 27, 2026, 09:57 IST The controversy erupted after a video of Bhatt surfaced online, with the Cong accusing him of insulting students and youths protesting against alleged examination irregularities. Rapid Read Mahendra Bhatt, the state president of Uttarakhand BJP. (Photo: Facebook/Mahendra Bhatt) Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt on Sunday apologised after facing criticism from the Congress and other groups over his alleged remarks about students following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid the NEET paper leak controversy. In a social media post, Bhatt said, “If any word or the way I phrased my statement yesterday inadvertently hurt anyone’s sentiments, I regret it and offer my apologies." He added that hurting anyone’s feelings was not his intention.
The controversy erupted after a video of Bhatt surfaced online on Saturday, with the Congress accusing him of insulting thousands of students and youths protesting against alleged examination irregularities. The party demanded an unconditional apology from him. Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal said Bhatt’s alleged remarks reflected his frustration over Pradhan’s resignation. He also referred to the resignation of former minister Premchand Aggarwal, saying he had earlier faced a similar situation over the use of abusive language. “This reflects your attitude towards students and the people here. You should apologise before this matter escalates further," Godiyal said. He warned that if Bhatt did not apologise, students and youths would hold a sit-in protest outside his residence. Earlier in the day, Bhatt released a video claiming that the opposition was presenting his remarks out of context.
He maintained that he had not used the language being attributed to him. BJP state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan also said Bhatt’s comments regarding Pradhan’s resignation were being misinterpreted. The controversy comes amid political tensions over alleged examination irregularities in the state. Recently, an alleged question paper leak case involving Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU) came to light. The Congress has repeatedly targeted the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. The state government, however, has maintained that it follows a zero-tolerance policy towards question paper leaks, has introduced a strict anti-cheating law, and has sent several accused persons to jail in such cases. (With inputs from PTI) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
The BriefWire