Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and former Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra on Thursday tendered an unconditional apology to teachers three days after publicly reprimanding school staff during an event in Samana. The apology came amid mounting criticism from teachers’ unions and opposition parties, who condemned his remarks as disrespectful. 
 
On April 7, Jouramajra visited a government school in Samana under the state’s ‘Sikhya Kranti’ (Education Revolution) program. Reports indicated that he arrived an hour late, and upon seeing a sparse gathering of students and teachers, he lashed out at the principal and staff. In a widely circulated video, he questioned the school’s discipline, asking, “Is this even a school? There’s nothing here to call it one.”
 
He further criticized teachers, stating, “You make big claims, but no student listens to you. Mark all absent students. I will send a written complaint to the Chief Minister and Education Minister.” His remarks drew immediate backlash, with teachers’ unions demanding an apology. 
 
The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) and other unions issued a three-day ultimatum, threatening statewide protests if Jouramajra did not apologize. Facing pressure, the MLA expressed regret on April 10, saying, “If any teacher felt hurt by my words, I apologize unconditionally. Teachers are our gurus; they guide us. If I spoke inadvertently, I seek forgiveness from the entire teaching community.”
 
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who had earlier supported the teachers and publicly condemned Jauramajra’s behaviour, reportedly intervened to defuse tensions. Following the apology, the DTF postponed its planned protest but demanded an end to political interference in schools, particularly during ongoing government initiatives like infrastructure inspections. 
 
This is not the first time Jouramajra has faced criticism for his conduct. In 2022, as Health Minister, he drew flak for allegedly humiliating Dr Raj Bahadur, then Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, by forcing him to lie on a damaged hospital mattress during an inspection. The incident led to Dr Bahadur’s resignation and Jouramajra’s eventual removal from the Cabinet.