Congress MP's remark on President Murmu triggers protest in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Thursday witnessed noisy scenes after BJP members strongly protested against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remark on President Droupadi Murmu, leading to adjournment of the proceedings till 12 noon.

As soon as the House met at 11 am, Union Minister Smriti Irani accused Chowdhury of disrespecting Murmu by calling her ‘Rashtrapatni’.

Irani claimed that Chowdhury has disrespected the entire tribal community, women, poor and the downtrodden by his remark.

“The Congress leader has disrespected the President. The Congress could not tolerate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a poor tribal woman a Presidential candidate,” she said.

Irani said Murmu has become the target of hatred of the Congress as the opposition party could not “digest” that a poor tribal woman has become the President of the country.

“Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remark is anti-Adivasi, anti-poor and anti-woman,” she claimed.

Targeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Irani alleged that Gandhi had “sanctioned



humiliation” of a poor tribal woman who has occupied the highest constitutional post in the country.

“Sonia Gandhi mafi mango (Sonia Gandhi must tender an apology). Your male leaders are disrespecting a poor tribal woman,” she said.

Irani claimed that such humiliation of Murmu will not be tolerated by the poor, tribals and women of the country.

BJP MPs strongly supported Irani, inviting counter protests from Congress members.

As the turmoil continued, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till 12 noon.

Chowdhury is the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha and used the remark while talking to the media during his party’s protests over a host of issues.

The Congress leader on Thursday said he never intended to disrespect the President of India and had inadvertently used a word while talking to the media.He also accused the ruling BJP of making a mountain out of a molehill.

The President is called “rashtrapati” in Hindi.