South African football coach issued ultimatum by civic councillor; Party chief intervenes, councillor expresses regret in video

East Delhi: Arun Sharma

A controversial remark by BJP councillor Renu Chaudhary from Patparganj Ward has triggered a political storm in the national capital, drawing sharp reactions from across the political spectrum and forcing the party leadership to step in.
The controversy erupted after Chaudhary publicly warned Joshua, a South African football coach working at the DDA Park in Mayur Vihar Phase-1, to learn Hindi within a month or face the park being taken away. Her statement, made during an interaction at the park, quickly went viral and sparked widespread criticism.
According to the councillor, the coach had been asked nearly eight months ago to learn Hindi but had failed to do so. “If he does not learn Hindi within a month, the park will be taken away,” she reportedly said, turning the issue into a major flashpoint.
As the statement gained traction, political temperatures rose, with opposition parties accusing the BJP of imposing language and politicising sports. The matter escalated to the party’s top leadership in Delhi.
Reacting swiftly, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva publicly expressed regret over the councillor’s remarks, clearly distancing the party from the controversy.
He stated,
“There is no place for language politics on the sports field. Sports should be viewed purely in the spirit of the game.”
Soon after the party chief’s intervention, Renu Chaudhary backtracked from her statement and issued a video message expressing regret. She said her intention was not to hurt anyone’s sentiments and apologised if her words had caused any distress.
The sequence of events made it evident that what began as a controversial ultimatum, soon led to party embarrassment, followed by damage control at the highest level.
Political analysts believe the episode could further fuel the ongoing language-versus-sports debate, even as the BJP leadership has sent out a clear signal that it does not endorse such remarks.