Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has actually triggered a significant dispute after she described President Droupadi Murmu as a “poor thing” following her address in Parliament at the beginning of the Budget Session on Friday.
The comment has actually attracted intense objection from numerous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, in addition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rashtrapati Bhavan, that stated her remark was “unacceptable” and “in poor taste”.
The BJP has actually also charged Gandhi of disrespecting India’s initial tribal President and required a genuine apology. The Congress, nonetheless, has actually protected her firmly insisting that her words were gotten of context.
So, just what did Sonia Gandhi state? How did her remark trigger such a political tornado? Here’s whatever you require to understand.
What did Sonia Gandhi state?
After President Droupadi Murmu, 66, supplied her popular address to Parliament, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said to press reporters that the President showed up “extremely worn out” during her speech, while her son, Rahul Gandhi, described the address as “boring.”
“The President was obtaining extremely worn out by the end … She can rarely talk, bad point,” Sonia Gandhi was heard telling Rahul.
(* )< a href=” https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WATCH | Delhi | After the President’s address to the Parliament, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi says,” mommy is a 78-year-old girl, she has merely stated that’ the The President reviewed such a lengthy speech and she have to have been tired, bad point’ … she completely appreciates …She– RECTUM( @ANI)pic.twitter.com/o6cwoeYFdE
stated.”>January 31, 2025
Her remark immediately triggered a fierce backlash from the BJP, which accused her of making a “derogatory” comment and demanded an unconditional apology.
BJP IT department head Amit Malviya slammed the remark, claiming it “demeaned” the high office of the President and exposed Gandhi’s “feudal mindset.”
Union Minister JP Nadda also condemned the comment, calling it “deeply disrespectful” and a reflection of the Congress party’s “elitist, anti-poor, and anti-tribal nature.” He demanded that the Congress issue an unconditional apology to both President Murmu and India’s tribal communities.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju echoed this demand, asserting, “Our President, a tribal woman, is not weak. Droupadi Murmu has worked extensively for the country and society in ways they [Congress leaders] cannot even imagine. They should apologise to her.”
… I condemn the comments made by “>#WATCH | On Congress MP Sonia Gandhi’s statement on President Droupadi Murmu, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, ” and other opposition leaders. Sonia Gandhi, a tribal woman, is not weak… Our President has worked… Droupadi Murmu— ANI (@ANI) pic.twitter.com/d5R3n8ULYa, January 31, 2025
Similarly for Union Minister called Education Dharmendra Pradhan’s remark an GandhiPM “unprecedented insult to the President.”
reactsModi’s remark, PM
Condemning Sonia Gandhi during an election rally in Modi’s Delhi said the Dwarka family’s Congress PM “arrogance was on full display today.”
“President Droupadi Murmu addressed Parliament. But a member of the royal family said the language was boring. One member said her language seemed tiring… Urban Naxals’ words are more interesting to the royal family,” said, criticising the Modi.Congress|
#WATCH: PM Delhi says, Narendra Modihttps://t.co/yIB0c4PUhl”Droupadi Murmu ji has come here from a tribal family. Her mother tongue is not Hindi, it is Odia. She inspired the Parliament today in a wonderful way, gave a speech. But the royal family of Congress has started insulting her. A member of… pic.twitter.com/yIB0c4PUhl
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2025
He went on to describe the comment as an “insult to the 10 crore tribal brothers and sisters of the country.”
“Droupadi Murmu ji has come here from a tribal family. Her mother tongue is not Hindi, it is Odia. She inspired the Parliament today in a wonderful way, gave a speech. But the royal family of Congress has started insulting her,” he added.
‘Clearly hurt dignity of high office’:Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a firm response, calling the remarks made by “some prominent leaders of the Congress” as “unacceptable” and stating that they “clearly hurt the dignity of the high office.”
The statement further clarified that President Droupadi Murmu was “not tired at any point” during her speech. It emphasised that the President believes speaking up for marginalized communities, women, and farmers can “never be tiring.”
The Rashtrapati Bhavan also said that “it might be the case” that the leaders were unfamiliar with the idiom and discourse in Indian languages, adding that “in any case, such comments are in poor taste, unfortunate and entirely avoidable.”
the celebration”>Priyanka Gandhi, Congress come to Sonia’s defence
In the wake of criticism over Sonia Gandhi’s remark, her daughter Priyanka Gandhi stepped forward to defend her, claiming that the comments were being misinterpreted.
and our leaders can never ever disrespect”>#WATCH | Delhi: On Sonia Gandhi’s remarks on President Murmu and her speech, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, “My thePresident or any kind of resident.pic.twitter.com/xNQTydHUAX is not our society, January 31, 2025
“My mother is a 78-year-old lady, she has simply said that ’the President read such a long speech and she must have been tired, poor thing’. She fully respects the President of India. I think it is very unfortunate that this kind of thing is twisted by the media. They both are two respected people and older than us. She means no disrespect. BJP should first apologise for pushing into a gorge,” Priyanka input from firms
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.