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‘You don’t talk to me’: Sonia, Smriti Irani face off over ‘rashtrapatni’ remark
The Bharatiya Janata Party demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi after Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury addressed President Droupadi Murmu as ‘rashtrapatni’
A major verbal duel broke out between interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Union minister Smriti Irani following Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s comments on President Droupadi Murmu, with Gandhi demanding that her name should not be dragged into the row over the leader of opposition’s statements.
The Bharatiya Janata Party demanded an apology from Gandhi after Chowdhury addressed President Murmu as ‘rashtrapatni’. The uproar forced the Lok Sabha to be adjourned till 4 pm.
According to people who witnessed the verbal exchange between the two leaders, Gandhi approached BJP MP Rama Devi to explain that Chowdhury had already apologised for his remarks and that the BJP should not drag her name into the controversy. The BJP, however, insisted that the Congress chief apologise for her MP’s remarks.
“Just as she was returning, a group of BJP women MPs, including Smriti Irani, shouted at her and said that she should also apologise for the remarks against the President… At that point, Gandhi told Irani not to speak to her,” said a person present during the exchange.
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Gandhi’s comment sparked a furore, with some BJP lawmakers even raising their voices.
“Opposition MPs, mostly women, then came and led Gandhi away, but the BJP side kept protesting,” the person said.
Speaking outside Parliament, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened when Sonia Gandhi came up to our senior leader Rama Devi to find out what was happening, and when one of our members approached her, she said ‘You don’t talk to me’.”
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi called the episode involving Sonia Gandhi “traumatic” and “sickening”.
“The brutal heckling, verbal assault and physical intimidation of one of the most dignified ladies of Indian politics Smt. Sonia Gandhi inside by the BJP was traumatic and sickening. That this assault by the BJP MPs took place inside the Parliament reflected the mentality of a mob,” Gogoi said in a tweet.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra rubbished the allegations levelled by BJP leaders against Gandhi and asked how a 75-year-old woman in a face mask could “intimidate” anyone.
“These are all lies by the BJP. We got Mrs Gandhi out. They had all surrounded her and were shouting at her. How can a 75-year-old in a mask be intimidating to anyone?” Moitra asked.
Meanwhile, Chowdhury said that his reference to President Droupadi Murmu as ‘rashtrapatni’ was a “slip of the tongue”, and alleged that the BJP was making a “mountain out of a molehill”.
Women BJP MPs, including Union ministers, on Thursday protested in the Parliament complex against Chowdhury for his remarks.
