Uttarakhand Finance Minister Premchand Aggarwal resigned from his position on Sunday after facing massive backlash over his controversial remarks regarding the people from the state's hill regions. The resignation followed heated criticism after Aggarwal, during the state Budget session, stated that Uttarakhand did not belong exclusively to the ‘pahadis’ (hill residents), which sparked outrage.
His comments, made in response to Congress MLA Madan Bisht’s remark on statehood, led to strong reactions from opposition parties, accusing the ruling BJP of disrespecting the local hill communities. Aggarwal's use of an objectionable term further intensified the controversy.
Following the uproar, the BJP government, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, faced significant pressure. Aggarwal expressed regret for his remarks, and the BJP leadership summoned him for a discussion, urging him to exercise more restraint. The minister submitted his resignation to CM Dhami at his official residence.
This controversy has put the BJP government on the backfoot, with opposition leaders continuing to criticize the party for neglecting and offending local residents.
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