DEHRADUN: Former Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister and senior Congress leader, Harak Singh Rawat, found himself embroiled in controversy on Saturday after allegedly making inappropriate remarks targeting the Sikh community during a public gathering in Dehradun.

The incident occurred while Rawat was expressing solidarity with striking lawyers, quickly escalating, forcing the veteran politician into a public apology.

Rawat visited the ongoing agitation by the Dehradun Bar Association to show support.

According to senior advocate Virendra Singh Khurana, Rawat reportedly made an "indecorous comment" while gesturing to a Sikh advocate to raise slogans.

The alleged statement was immediately deemed socially inappropriate and offensive by members of the legal fraternity present. As news of the remark spread among the assembled lawyers, strong protests erupted.

Faced with mounting anger, a visibly rattled Rawat immediately retracted his statement. "He had no intention of hurting the sentiments of any community, and he has expressed regret if his words were misunderstood," a source close to Rawat stated.

Although the advocates accepted the apology, the matter has swiftly gained political traction, potentially causing significant damage to the Congress party in the state.