‘Poor thing’: How Sonia Gandhi's remark on President Murmu's speech has sparked a controversy

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has sparked a major controversy after she referred to President Droupadi Murmu as a “poor thing” following her address in Parliament at the start of the Budget Session on Friday.

The remark has drawn fierce criticism from several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rashtrapati Bhavan, who said her comment was “unacceptable” and “in poor taste”.

The BJP has even accused Gandhi of disrespecting India’s first tribal President and demanded an unconditional apology. The Congress, however, has defended her insisting that her words were taken out of context.

So, what exactly did Sonia Gandhi say? How did her comment trigger such a political storm? Here’s everything you need to know.

What did Sonia Gandhi say?

After President Droupadi Murmu, 66, delivered her customary address to Parliament, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi remarked to reporters that the President appeared “very tired" during her speech, while her son, Rahul Gandhi, described the address as “boring."

“The President was getting very tired by the end… She could hardly speak, poor thing," Sonia Gandhi was heard telling Rahul.

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#WATCH | Delhi | After the President's address to the Parliament, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi says,"...The President was getting very tired by the end...She could hardly speak, poor thing..." pic.twitter.com/o6cwoeYFdE

— ANI (@ANI) 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.”

#WATCH | On Congress MP Sonia Gandhi's statement on President Droupadi Murmu, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, "... I condemn the comments made by Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Our President, a tribal woman, is not weak... Droupadi Murmu has worked… pic.twitter.com/d5R3n8ULYa

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2025

Similarly, Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan called Gandhi’s remark an “unprecedented insult to the President.”

PM Modi reacts

Condemning Sonia Gandhi’s remark, PM Modi during an election rally in Delhi’s Dwarka said the Congress family’s “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,” PM Modi said, criticising the Congress.

#WATCH | Delhi: PM Narendra Modi says, "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.”

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.

#WATCH | Delhi: On Sonia Gandhi's remarks on President Murmu and her speech, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, "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… pic.twitter.com/xNQTydHUAX

— ANI (@ANI) 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 said.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also defended the statement, asserting that the party “can never insult the President or any citizen.”

“The Indian National Congress and our leaders can never insult His Excellency the President or any citizen. This is not our culture," Kharge said, before shifting his focus to the BJP.

He added, “The President was insulted by the Modi government on the very day when he was not invited to the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament. BJP had deliberately kept our current President and previous President away from both the Temple of Democracy and Ram Temple."

With input from agencies