Bihar: IAS officer issues apology after snapping at student for asking about sanitary napkins

IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra has issued an apology following a controversy around her remarks during a workshop on Sashakt Beti, Samriddh Bihar event, which had the tag line “Towards enhancing the value of girls", as stated in a report by News18. A video circulated on social media showed the argument between the two. A girl student in the video is seen asking the officer this: “The government provides us almost everything like school uniform, etc. Can the government give sanitary pads to us at Rs 20-30?" The audience, which mostly consisted of Class IX and X school girls, clapped.

Replying to this, Bhamra said, “Those clapping, tell me, is there any end to such demands? Tomorrow you will say the government can give jeans and pants too. And after that why not some beautiful shoes? Eventually, when it comes to family planning, you will expect the government to give you family planning methods and condoms too. Why there is need to take everything for free?"

Since the incident, the officer has issued an apology for the aforementioned remarks. “During the sequence, if due to any of my words, if the sentiments of any girl or participant have been hurt, for that, I, Harjot Kaur Bhamra, Chairman and Managing Director, express my regret. The intention of my words was not to demean or hurt any sentiments, in fact, it was to encourage them to forge ahead,” she said, as stated in her letter which was shared in a tweet by ANI.