New Delhi:
The Budget Session began with a fresh controversy this morning after Congress MP Sonia Gandhi called President Droupadi Murmu a “poor thing” while commenting on her address to the Parliament. The phrase followed Mrs Gandhi’s concern that the 66-year-old looked exhausted after her long customary speech, with the BJP denouncing it as a “derogatory comment” and demanding an apology.
President Murmu addressed a joint sitting of the Parliament this morning to mark the beginning of the Budget Session.
After her customary speech, Mrs Gandhi – a senior politician who once served as Congress chief – was asked reporters asked her for her comment outside the Parliament.
“The President was getting very tired by the end. She could hardly speak, poor thing,” Mrs Gandhi replied, flanked by her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, both MPs.
“Boring? No comments? Repeating the same thing again and again?” Rahul Gandhi could be heard helping his mother with her comments.
The BJP condemned Mrs Gandhi’s remark with party chief JP Nadda saying that it is “deeply respectful” and underscores the opposition’s disregard for the dignity of the highest constitutional office.
“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. While the President was highlighting the government’s achievements, the opposition – driven by its feudal mindset – chose instead to mock the empowerment of backward classes and women, a transformation brought about under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership,” said Mr Nadda.
The deliberate usage of such words – “poor thing” – shows the elitist, anti-poor, and anti-tribal nature of the Congress Party, he said, demanding that the opposition party issued an unconditional apology.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also demanded an apology and said Ms Murmu has worked extensively for the country. “I condemn the comments made by Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Our President, a tribal woman, is not weak. Droupadi Murmu has worked extensively for the country and society, they cannot even imagine. They should apologise to her,” Mr Rijiju said.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that such an insult to the President was unprecedented.
BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar added that the Congress’s feudal mindset can’t digest the fact that an Adivasi lady had become the President of the country.
“It was a derogatory comment. Leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should not pass such comments, especially on the President. Droupadi Murmu belongs to an Adivasi family and now she is the number one citizen of our country and that is not accepted by Congress’s zamindaari mindset. That’s why they are opposing her speech,” said Mr Majumdar.
The BJP has accused the Congress of being feudal several times in the past, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi even recalling an image of Indira Gandhi from her Gujarat visit, which showed her holding a hanky near her nose due to foul smells. He hinted at her being an elitist while calling it the “fragrance of humanity”.
President Murmu, during her address earlier in the day, said the government has worked towards lifting the economy out of “policy paralysis” despite challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic and global conflicts. She also said that the third term of the Modi government is seeing work being done at thrice the pace of previous regimes.
The President praised the government’s efforts in the aviation and railway sectors and said it is working towards modernisation in the agriculture sector and aims to make it self-reliant.
She also shared concerns over digital fraud and cybercrime that pose challenges to national security.