Irani accuses Sonia of sanctioning humiliation of Prez Murmu

NEW DELHI: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday hit out at the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, who was present in the Lok Sabha and said that the latter sanctioned the humiliation of President Droupadi Murmu through male Congress leaders.

In Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi. BJP MPs demanded an apology from Congress on Lok Sabha MP Adhir Chowdhury's 'Rashtrapatni' remark against President Droupadi Murmu.

"Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji sanctioned the humiliation of a woman in the highest constitutional post. Sonia ji sanctioned the humiliation of a poor woman who ascends to the highest Office in this country. You sanctioned the insult of every Indian citizen. You through your male Congress workers and leaders continue to demean the Office of the President of India. Apologies to the nation. Sonia Gandhi apologies to the tribal, poor and woman of the country," said Irani in Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said that he had used the term "Rashtrapatni" for President Murmu by mistake and that the ruling party was deliberately trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.

"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," said Congress Chowdhury on his 'Rashtrapatni' remark.

BJP MPs including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday staged a protest at Parliament against Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's 'Rashtrapatni' remark against President Droupadi Murmu demanding an apology from the Congress party.

"It was a deliberate sexist insult. Sonia Gandhi should apologise to the President of India and the country," Finance Minister and BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Previously, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar on Wednesday had said that President Droupadi Murmu represents a "very evil philosophy of India."

Ajoy Kumar alleged the condition of scheduled castes in India had become 'worse' and that Droupadi Murmu should not be used as an 'adivasi symbol' by the ruling party.

"It's not about Droupadi Murmu. Yashwant Sinha is also a good candidate and Murmu is also a decent person. But she represents a very evil philosophy of India. We should not make her a symbol of 'adivasi'. We have President Ram Nath Kovind (and) Hathras (the gangrape and murder of a young Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh) happened. Has he said a word? The condition of scheduled castes has become worse," Kumar said.