Inder Singh Parmar | Photo credit: File
Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Inder Singh Parmar on Sunday apologized for his remarks against social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy, whom he called a “British agent” and accused him of aiding missionaries in religious conversion.
Mr Parmar made the controversial remarks on Saturday in Agar Malwa district during an event to mark the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda, alleging that English education was used as a cover for religious conversions during the era of British colonial rule.
“I was present at a public function in Agar on the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. I discussed his life and discussed the British conspiracy. I accidentally said something offensive about social reformer Raji Ram Mohan Roy and I regret it. I regret it. I have personal respect for Raju Ram Mohan Roy,” Mr. Parmar said in an apology video shared on Sunday morning.
He apologized after facing backlash over his statement.
Mr. Parmar’s remarks drew sharp criticism from Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh and the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.
“There was a vicious cycle going on in Bengal and the surrounding regions to change the faith of the people in that region through English education and the British turned a few Indians into fake social reformers. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was one of them who continued to work as a British agent,” Mr. Parmar said on Saturday, claiming that it was only Munda who “dared to stop the cycle”.
West Bengal minister and Trinamool leader Shashi Panja accused the BJP of “consistently insulting” the state and its icons.
“When you cannot match Bengal’s intellect, then you are insulting Bengal. We worship him (Roy), women worship him because Sati (practice) was abolished because of his protest. He was a real reformer while the BJP says he was a fake reformer,” Ms Panja said.
“The BJP is woefully failing to make a dent in Bengal and has now resorted to its dirtiest tactics, defaming Bengal and the towering icons who have shaped our civilization. From Rabindranath Tagore to Swami Vivekananda to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, no legend has been spared from the contribution of the BJP X.ol relentless in Trientless ins.
West Bengal is set to go to polls in 2026, with the BJP hoping to unseat the ruling Trinamool.
Madhya Pradesh Leader of the Opposition and Congress MLA Umang Singhar called the remarks “disgraceful” and alleged that it was a “conspiracy by the BJP to bring those who serve their ideology to the center of history and denigrate the real nation builders”.
“Even though the minister has apologized after public outrage, the question is – Can the community mindset change with a single apology? Is a mindset that twists and distorts history acceptable when holding a ministerial position?” Mr. Singhar asked X.
Often referred to as the “father of the modern Indian renaissance”, Roy is celebrated for his role in abolishing the practice of sati and for championing women’s rights, including widow remarriage. He was also among the founders of the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, which later became the Brahmo Samaj.
Published – 16 Nov 2025 19:08 IST
