3 min readJaipurMay 6, 2026 08:56 PM IST
In a rare instance, BJP state president Madan Rathore has apologised over “casteist” comments by party leader and MLA Mahant Balaknath.
Recently, during a spot visit to check developmental works in his Assembly constituency of Tijara, Balaknath had reprimanded officials over alleged poor construction of a road. However, while on a call with a Junior Engineer responsible for the said construction, Balaknath allegedly made casteist comments.
The statement soon went viral with members of the Saini/Mali community reacting sharply to Balaknath’s comments, demanding public apology. Vinod Karel, who heads the Narayani Dham Mahasabha, said that “90 percent of our community votes for the BJP. But the BJP leader has hurt our pride. So, our demand is that he publicly apologise to the community. We are not demanding anything, just our respect”.
Including Karel, a delegation of community leaders met Rathore at the party’s state office in Jaipur, where the latter apologised.
“We will also meet the CM if Balaknath doesn’t apologise,” Karel said. Ramavtar, another community leader, said that “We have openly supported BJP during Vasundhara Raje’s tenure and now during Bhajan Lal Sharma’s tenure. But today the community is being humiliated in this manner. Today he has said this, tomorrow some other MLA will say something else.”
Following the meeting with a delegation from the Saini community, Rathore said: “I told them that as the head of this family, ‘I’m sorry’. Although, I have also said what needed to be said to the concerned leader. But when people of the community come here, then I have to apologise as the head of the family. The community is always big, such words shouldn’t be spoken for any community”.
Meanwhile, Balaknath also tendered an apology on social media, saying that he was giving “necessary instructions to the officials responsible for the poor construction and negligence in their work. During this, I had no intention of expressing any wrong feelings towards any caste or society in any way through my words.”
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“Even after this, if any of my words have hurt the sentiments of the Saini community, I express my regret. I hope the entire community will understand my sentiments and continue to extend their support and affection as before,” Balaknath said.
