Facing growing criticism over her remarks and protests by nurses across Haryana, Haryana State Commission for Women chairperson Renu Bhatia resigned on Tuesday evening. Her exit comes after a tenure that was frequently overshadowed by controversies.
Bhatia submitted her resignation to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and requested that it be accepted. She did not mention any specific reason for stepping down. Bhatia was appointed chairperson of the commission in 2022 by then chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Her term was later extended in 2025 by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Her resignation comes days after a controversy erupted during her visit to LNJP Civil Hospital in Kurukshetra. During the visit, she allegedly made remarks against nursing staff while reviewing the handling of a sexual assault case involving a 15-year-old girl. The comments sparked protests by government nurses across the state, who demanded both an apology and her resignation.
Bhatia had visited the hospital after a 62-year-old consultant doctor was apprehended for allegedly sexually abusing the minor girl. During the inspection, she reportedly criticised nurses and hospital officials over alleged lapses and ordered action against four employees, including the principal medical officer.
Rejecting calls for an apology, Bhatia claimed that the protests were politically motivated and supported by opposition parties.
Nurses participating in the protests said while her resignation was a positive step, they still expected an apology. A group of nurses has also filed a complaint at a police station in Kurukshetra, demanding legal action against her.
In a video message, Bhatia thanked former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. She said she had always tried to perform her responsibilities sincerely.
Without directly mentioning the recent controversy, Bhatia said she was sorry if any of her actions or words had hurt someone. She added that everyone learns from mistakes and maintained that she had never treated anyone unfairly.
Later, while speaking to the media, she said personal reasons were behind her decision to resign.
Bhatia said she would soon be travelling to Japan and later to the United States and expected to remain abroad for nearly four months. This is not the first time Bhatia has found herself in the middle of a controversy. She belongs to a Punjabi Kashmiri family originally from Srinagar and has been associated with the BJP for nearly four decades.
She began her political journey as a municipal councillor in Faridabad in 2000. Bhatia also earned the nickname "BJP ki Benazir" after portraying former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto in a short film released in 2008.
During her tenure as commission chief, she was involved in several high-profile cases. Most recently, she sought action against singer-rapper Badshah over his song "Tateeree", which was later withdrawn. The singer subsequently apologised to the National Commission for Women.
She had also pushed for action against Haryanvi singer Masoom Sharma, who was booked in Dehradun over allegations of using abusive language during an event.
Last year, her intervention in a case involving Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad triggered political and legal debate. The matter was eventually closed by the Supreme Court after the Haryana government declined to grant prosecution sanction.
Earlier, in 2023, she pursued sexual harassment complaints against government school principals in Jind and Kaithal, which resulted in their arrests. She also drew criticism in 2022 when she reportedly asked a woman police officer to leave an official hearing in Kaithal over alleged shortcomings in handling a marital dispute case.
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