Union Minister and BJP leader Savitri Thakur has come under fire after a spelling mistake she made while writing the slogan “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” in Hindi went viral.
The incident occurred at an event under the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar on Wednesday. Instead of the correct slogan, Thakur wrote “Beddi Padao Bachav” on a whiteboard, sparking criticism from the Opposition.
ये केंद्रीय महिला एवं बाल विकास राज्यमंत्री सावित्री ठाकुर हैं जिले में शिक्षा जागरूकता रथ पर उन्हें ‘बेटी बचाओ बेटी पढ़ाओ’ का स्लोगन लिखना था लेकिन, मंत्रीजी ने लिखा- “बेढी पडाओ बच्चाव” शपथ-पत्र के मुताबिक वे 12वीं पास हैं ये टीप उनके नहीं बल्कि देश के “शैक्षणिक स्तर” पर है pic.twitter.com/v66qM05Uyc
— Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) June 19, 2024
Savitri Thakur, who serves as the Minister of State for Women and Child Development and is a Lok Sabha member from Dhar, has faced scrutiny from the Congress party. Senior Congress leader KK Mishra questioned her educational qualifications and competency. According to her affidavit, Savitri Thakur has studied up to class 12.
“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?” Mishra said.
He further suggested amending the Constitution to establish minimum educational qualifications for election candidates, highlighting a discrepancy between the literacy of citizens and that of their representatives.
The ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme, launched in 2015, aims to address the declining child sex ratio and promote women’s education.
Dhar district BJP president Manoj Somani defended Savitri Thakur, accusing the Congress of harbouring “petty and anti-tribal thinking”. He stated, “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.”
Also Read: Watch: Spicejet makes passengers sit inside flight ‘without AC’
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Umang Singhar, a tribal leader from Dhar, also criticised Savitri Thakur on social media. He questioned her leadership and literacy, suggesting that the incident reflects poorly on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s selection of ministers. “What kind of leadership is this? Does Prime Minister Narendra Modi want only rubber stamp ministers in his government? There is no set standard for how a public representative should be, but at least it should be literate,” Singhar said.
He added, “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 further claimed that the BJP does not prioritize having educated leaders, emphasising the need for literacy among public representatives.
The incident has ignited a debate on the educational standards required for public office and the implications for effective governance.
