Apology Issued For “Rashtrapatni” Remark, Says Sonia Gandhi

The BJP today sought an apology from Sonia Gandhi after her party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referred to President Droupadi Murmu as “Rashtrapatni,” accusing the Congress of “demeaning” Ms. Murmu. Sonia Gandhi was the target of a vicious attack from Ms. Irani, who demanded an apology from her. She claimed that “Sonia Gandhi approved the degrading of a woman in the highest constitutional office in the nation.” Ms. Irani slammed Mrs. Gandhi as “anti-Adivasi, anti-Dalit, and anti-woman” in a rage.

Another protest against the remark was organised by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who has recently recovered from Covid. She was joined by other MPs and held placards as they stood on the grounds of the Parliament. Ms. Sitharaman referred to it as a “deliberate sexist abuse” inside the lower chamber and requested that the Congress President apologise on behalf of the party.

“I demand an apology from the President of Congress party who herself is a woman has allowed her leader to speak like that. Sonia Gandhi should come before the nation and apologise for insulting the President,” the finance minister said in the Lok Sabha. It was quickly clarified by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who said that the BJP was “creating a mountain out of a molehill” and that it was only a mistake of the tongue. He charged that the BJP was diverting attention away from important debates on the Agnipath programme, the GST, price increases, and other issues.

“Whoever is the President of India, be it Brahmin, or Adivasi, the President is the President for us. Our respect is for the post. Yesterday when we were at protesting at Vijay Chowk, reporters asked us where we wanted to go. I told them I want to visit the President’s house. Just one, I said “Rashtrapatni”… The reporter repeated it to me and I said I might have said that by mistake and it would be better if they didn’t broadcast it. They (BJP) are creating a furore because of this. I made a mistake, just once and in one word,” Mr Chowdhury said in a video statement posted on his Twitter account.

Sonia Gandhi told NDTV that Mr. Chowdhury has already expressed regret. The statement was made by Mr. Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, to the media amid his party’s demonstrations over a number of concerns.

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