Haryana Women Commission Chief Renu Bhatia Resigns After Nursing Staff Row; Questions Also Raised Over Extended Tenure

The resignation of former Haryana State Women Commission Chairperson Renu Bhatia has brought a dramatic end to a controversy that began with remarks made during a hospital inspection and quickly escalated into a statewide and national backlash from nursing staff.

Renu Bhatia resigned from her post on Tuesday night following intense criticism over comments made during her visit to LNJP Hospital in Kurukshetra in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a minor. The remarks drew strong objections from nursing officers across Haryana and other parts of the country, leading to protests and pen-down strikes. 

The controversy, however, has also revived questions over the legality of her continued tenure as Chairperson of the Haryana State Women Commission. Under the Haryana State Women Commission Act, 2012, the tenure of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and members cannot exceed three years. Renu Bhatia assumed office on January 19, 2022, which meant her statutory term ended on January 18, 2025.

Although the Women and Child Development Department reportedly issued an order on November 26, 2024 extending her tenure until further orders, legal experts have pointed out that an administrative order cannot override the maximum tenure prescribed under the Act itself.

The immediate trigger for the controversy was her interaction with nursing staff during an inspection at the hospital. According to reports, she questioned a staff member by asking whether she would leave her daughter alone with an unknown person, a remark that drew sharp criticism from nursing associations, which termed it insensitive and inappropriate.

The response was swift. Nursing staff at Kurukshetra Civil Hospital staged a protest, while the Haryana Nursing Officers Welfare Association organised a two-hour statewide pen-down strike, demanding accountability and action over the remarks.

Renu Bhatia has had a long association with public life and politics. She entered electoral politics in 2000 by winning the councillor election in Faridabad on a BJP ticket and later served as Deputy Mayor. She was appointed a member of the Haryana State Women Commission in 2017 and became its Chairperson in January 2022.

The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of an alleged sexual assault case involving a minor at LNJP Hospital. Following the registration of a case against the accused doctor and his subsequent arrest, the State Women Commission issued a notice to the hospital management before Renu Bhatia visited the institution. Within days, protests by nursing staff intensified, culminating in her resignation.