 "‘Rashtrapatni’ row: From ‘already apologised’ to ‘Sonia sanctioned humiliation’, who said what in war of words")
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referring to President Droupadi Murmu as “rashtrapatni” in a video has created a firestorm with the Lok Sabha being repeatedly adjourned on Thursday and the BJP demanding an apology from the Congress leader as well as party chief Sonia Gandhi.
While Chowdhury said earlier Thursday that he misspoke and that there is ‘no question of apologising’, Sonia said the MP had ‘already apologised’, as per NDTV.
Meanwhile, Parliament witnessed dramatic scenes after Union minister Smriti Irani accused Sonia of ‘sanctioning the humiliation the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu’ and Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman called it a ‘deliberate, sexist’ abuse’.
As the row snowballs into a war of words, let’s take a closer look at who said what:
‘Mountain out of molehill’
Taking to Twitter to clarify his remarks, Chowdhury explained:
— Adhir Chowdhury (@adhirrcinc) July 28, 2022
“India’s President, whoever it is, whether a Brahmin or tribal, a Rashtrapati is a Rashtrapati. It is a post of great honour. When reporters yesterday asked me during a protest where we are headed, I said - We are going to the Rashtrapati’s house, to meet with the Rashtrapati. But once, Rashtrapatni slipped out. That is because in the past few days, there has been so much discussion over our new President. It came out only once," Chowdhury said.
He added that after making the comment, he had requested the media not to use it, but his plea went unheeded. “Now there is bawaal (ruckus). Over a slip - one word. It is very surprising. The BJP has nothing to say against us, so they find some masala. They are blowing up the issue out of proportion. They are making a mountain out of molehill," Chowdhury said. Chowdhury also remained adamant that he would not apologise.
“There is no question of apologising. I had mistakenly said ‘Rashtrapatni’, now if you want to hang me for it, then you can…the ruling party, in a deliberate design, trying to make mountain out of a molehill,” he added. “Who is BJP to apologise to?” ‘
Sonia sanctioned humiliation’
Irani on Thursday slammed the Congress and demanded an apology for maliciously targeting President Droupadi Murmu and claimed that the country knows that the Opposition party is “anti-tribal, anti-Dalit and anti-women”.
Smriti Irani tears into Congress party for humiliating the First Tribal President of India by calling her “Rashtrapatni”. pic.twitter.com/wjrGNR1TUe
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 28, 2022
“The Congress leader has disrespected the president. The Congress could not tolerate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a poor tribal woman the presidential candidate,” Irani said.
“The Congressman knew that to address the President of India this way not only demeans her constitutional post but also the rich tribal legacy that she represents. He (Adhir Chowdhury) knew that to demean the president in such a fashion is to demean the potential of women in our country,” Irani said as per Hindustan Times.
Irani also targeted Sonia.
“Sonia Gandhi, apologise,” Smriti said in the House as BJP members held up placards.
“Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji sanctioned humiliation of a woman in the highest constitutional post,” Irani said as per NDTV.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha called it a “deliberate sexist abuse” and demanded that the Congress President apologise on behalf of the party, as per NDTV.
Calling the President of India, 'Rashtrapatni' wasn't a slip of the tongue. It was a deliberate sexist insult against the person who comes from a tribal background.
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 28, 2022
Therefore, Smt. Sonia Gandhi should apologise for the remark made by her party leader.
- Smt. @nsitharaman pic.twitter.com/VTf4ouc4lt
“In every way, Congress party has been attempting to undermine a tribal. self-made, successful leader. We, from the BJP demand, the Congress party to apologise to the nation,” Nirmala later told ANI.
“Sonia Gandhi should apologise for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remarks,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, agreeing with Irani and Sonia, said amid the din. Joshi told ANI, “This is an insult to the tribal people of the country and the President of India. He should immediately apologise. Sonia Gandhi should also apologise for appointing someone like him.”
Union minister Piyush Goyal said, “The way AR Chowdhury has insulted the President shows their mentality. This country will never tolerate this insult to our tribal people. After all that, he said that there is no need to apologise for this.”
‘Don’t talk to me’
As per NDTV, a dramatic scene unfolded in Parliament after Sonia walked across the House amid loud sloganeering to speak to BJP MP Rama Devi. When Smriti Irani attempted to speak to her, Sonia Gandhi said “don’t talk to me”. “Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had already apologised. Why am I being dragged into this?” Sonia asked Devi.
As per sources, Smriti Irani then said, “Madam, may I help you? I took your name."
Sonia then responded: “Don’t talk to me.”
As per NDTV, Joshi then stepped in to attempt to calm things down and Trinamool Congress MPs and NCP’s Supriya Sule led Sonia away.
‘Felt threatened’
Sitharaman, recounting the incident, told ANI: “Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened when Sonia Gandhi came up to our senior leader Rama Devi to find out what was happening during which, one of our members approached there and she (Sonia Gandhi) said - You don’t talk to me - putting our MP down in the house. So instead of remorse from the highest leader of the Congress party, we find greater aggression.”
#WATCH | Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened when Sonia Gandhi came up to our senior leader Rama Devi to find out what was happening during which, one of our members approached there & she (Sonia Gandhi) said "You don't talk to me": Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/WxFnT2LTvk
— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2022
‘Congress does not know how to respect others’
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “A President is above all party lines. This is an insult to women and the tribal community at large. The Congress party espouses such anti-woman and anti-tribal views. The nation would never forgive Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.”
After the adjournment of the House, the BJP members staged a protest on the Assembly premises and demanded an unconditional apology from Sonia.
BJP MP Rama Devi, speaking to ANI, said: “We are not going to tolerate this insult. We won’t tolerate it as a nation. And we won’t tolerate it as women. Shame on them for feeling ashamed of having a tribal woman as the President. They must apologise.”
BJP’s deputy leader in the Assembly BC Sethi said, “The Congress does not know how to respect others and this is evident from Adhir Ranjan’s statement.”
Opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi of BJP said, “The Congress has not only insulted the president of India, but also Odisha’s daughter. Sonia Gandhi must take action against Adhir Ranjan immediately.”
BJD MLA Raj Kishore Das from Murmu’s Mayurbhanj district also condemned the Congress leader’s remark.
BJP national secretary Y Satya Kumar tweeted: “Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary is a habitual offender. He used the word ‘Rashtrapatni’ intentionally. Congress is not able to digest the fact that a lady from Tribal community is now @rashtrapatibhvn Once again Anti-Tribal mindset of Congress is exposed.”
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla told India Today, “This is not a slip of tongue. This is a slip of character of the Congress Party which has been seen every time the parivar comes under attack.”
BJP national president Baijayant Jay Pandya tweeted: “Ever since Droupadi Murmu ji has been nominated for President by the NDA, she has been targeted and called names by Congress party. This exposes their anti-tribal and anti-backward classes mindset. Now calling her ‘Rashtrapatni’ is crossing all limits and is highly condemnable.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, taking to Twitter, slammed Irani.
“Union Minister Smriti Irani behaved indecently and abusively in Lok Sabha today! But will the Speaker condemn it? Are rules only for the opposition?” Ramesh tweeted.
With inputs from agencies
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