BJP distances itself as apology follows backlash over marriage-for-money comment

Row Over Minister’s Husband Remark on Bihar Girls

A major political controversy has erupted after Girdhari Lal Sahu, husband of Uttarakhand women and child welfare minister Rekha Arya, allegedly made remarks suggesting that girls from Bihar could be &ldquo;brought for marriage&rdquo; for a sum of ₹20,000 to ₹25,000. The comments, captured in a video that surfaced on social media, sparked widespread outrage and condemnation across party lines.
In the video, Sahu is purportedly seen addressing a group of young men at an event in Almora, where he makes remarks implying that brides could be arranged from Bihar for a fixed amount of money. He is also heard encouraging the audience to accompany him to arrange marriages. The video quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism for promoting a regressive and offensive mindset toward women.
Following the backlash, Sahu issued an apology, claiming his remarks were being misinterpreted and that he was referring to the marriage of a friend. He stated that he regretted any hurt caused and apologised publicly.
The BJP, however, moved swiftly to distance itself from the remarks. The party&rsquo;s Uttarakhand unit condemned the statement and clarified that Sahu holds no position or affiliation with the BJP. Party leaders said such comments reflect unacceptable thinking and go against the party&rsquo;s stated respect for women.
Opposition parties strongly criticised the incident. Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav accused BJP leaders of harbouring a derogatory attitude toward Bihar and women, linking the comment to alleged past practices of vote-buying. The Congress termed the remarks an insult to women across the country and demanded an apology from the BJP leadership.
Congress leaders also pointed out that the controversy was particularly serious given that Rekha Arya holds the women and child welfare portfolio. Congress Mahila Morcha leaders said the remarks undermine women&rsquo;s dignity and promote harmful social practices such as exploitation and trafficking.
Meanwhile, the Bihar State Women's Commission announced it would issue a notice to Sahu over the comments. The commission described the statement as highly condemnable and questioned how such views could be expressed by the spouse of a serving minister.

3 જાન્યુઆરી, 2026 | 17:32 IST

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