Controversy erupted after a video showing Union minister Savitri Thakur incorrectly writing the Hindi slogan ‘Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao‘ during a ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ event held at a government school in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh surfaced on social media. The opposition Congress questioned Thakur’s qualifications in light of the video and suggested amending the Constitution to establish minimum educational requirements for elected candidates.
Commenting on the incident, senior Congress leader K K Mishra said, “It is the misfortune of democracy that people who hold constitutional posts and are responsible for big departments are not competent even in their mother tongue. How can they be capable of running their ministry?”
Umang Singhar, the leader of opposition in the state assembly and a tribal leader from Dhar district, also criticized Thakur, expressing concern over her leadership. “It can be understood what the children must have felt when they saw her writing incorrectly. What kind of leadership will she provide in the central government can only be imagined? Voters should have thought before electing such a public representative,” Singhar said.
In response, Dhar district BJP president Manoj Somani accused the Congress of having a “petty and anti-tribal thinking” in their criticism of Thakur’s mistake, which he attributed to her being in a hurry during the event. “Savitri ji’s feelings and sentiments are pure, but Congressmen are not able to keep their sentiments pure. The tribal community will not forgive the insult of a tribal woman,” he said.