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BJP MPs move privilege motion against Sonia Gandhi over remark on President Murmu
Sonia Gandhi faced backlash from BJP MPs for calling President Murmu a ‘poor thing’, prompting calls for disciplinary action
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs on Monday moved a privilege motion against Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi over her “poor thing” remark on President Droupadi Murmu, ANI reported.
Sonia Gandhi triggered a controversy after she had referred to President Mumu as a “poor thing” during the latter's address to a joint sitting of Parliament on January 31.
According to PTI, the BJP MPs, led by Rajya Sabha MP Sumer Singh Solanki, met Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and sought disciplinary action against Gandhi, contending her remarks lowered the dignity of the office of the President.
“We write this with great dismay about certain unparliamentary, derogatory and demeaning remarks recently made by Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, against the Hon'ble President of India, which warrant serious consideration and disciplinary action,” the MPs wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman.
The MPs alleged that the statement was a “clear manifestation of elitist and anti-tribal mindset of” Sonia Gandhi, who they claimed “is yet to understand the struggle and sensitivity of a tribal poor".
“Given the gravity of this issue, we humbly urge you to take cognizance of this matter and initiate appropriate disciplinary action against Smt. Sonia Gandhi,” the MPs told the chairman, according to ANI.
“Such action is imperative not only to uphold the sanctity of parliamentary rules but also to reinforce the principles of decorum and mutual respect that are foundational to the effective functioning of our democratic institutions,” they added.
What did Sonia Gandhi say?
After the President’s address opened the budget session of Parliament on January 31, Sonia Gandhi was asked by reporters outside the House about Murmu’s nearly hour-long speech.
“The President was getting very tired by the end...She could hardly speak, poor thing,” the former Congress chief was heard saying in clips in what appeared to be a reference to how long the address was.
Sonia Gandhi's comment immediately sparked a storm of condemnation from BJP leaders. The Rashtrapati Bhavan also released a statement calling the remark “unacceptable” and saying that Murmu was not tired.
Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attacked the Congress at a rally in Delhi and alleged that Sonia’s comment had insulted tribal communities.
“Droupadi Murmu ji has come here from a tribal family. She inspired Parliament today in a wonderful way and gave a speech. But the royal family of Congress has started insulting her. A member of the royal family said that the tribal daughter gave a boring speech. Another member went one step further and called the President a poor thing. They find the speech of a tribal daughter boring,” Modi had said in Dwarka.
On its part, the Congress party defended Sonia Gandhi's remarks, saying that the BJP was trying to twist an innocent comment.
“My mother is 78 years old, 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,” Priyanka Gandhi had said.
