On July 28, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi angrily told fellow Member of Parliament Union Minister Smriti Irani ‘Don’t talk to me’ as the debate inside the Lok Sabha got too heated. The exchange between Gandhi and Irani took place in Lok Sabha following the loud protests that happened against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for calling President Droupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi for Chowdhury’s remarks.
Smriti Irani lashed out at Congress and demanded that being the head of the party, Sonia Gandhi must apologise for what Chowdhury had said. Members of NDA held placards with ‘Sonia Gandhi, apologise’ written on them. The Union Minister said, “Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia Ji sanctioned humiliation of a woman at the highest constitutional post.”
एकआदिवासी महिला द्रौपदी मुर्मू जी के राष्ट्रपति पद का उम्मीदवार बनते ही कांग्रेस के नेताओं ने उन्हें कठपुतली, अशुभ और अमंगल का प्रतीक कहा और कल कांग्रेस के नेता सदन ने उन्हें राष्ट्रपत्नी कहा।
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 28, 2022
सोनिया गांधी और कांग्रेस के नेताओं को इसके लिए माफी मांगनी चाहिए: श्रीमती @smritiirani pic.twitter.com/D1Vr0dkj8U
Amidst the loud protests, the Lok Sabha speaker adjourned the house. Sonia Gandhi then walked across the floor of the House to speak to BJP MP Rama Devi and said, “Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had already apologised. Why am I being dragged into this?” As per the sources, Union Minister Smriti Irani intervened and questioned Gandhi, “Madam, may I help you? I took your name.”
Sonia Gandhi, who was already irked by her name being mentioned because of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, angrily said, “Don’t talk to me.” As per reports, Trinamool Congress MPs and NCP’s Supriya Sule took Sonia Gandhi away from BJP members.
Following the war-of-words inside Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi left the house, where media reporters asked her if she would apologise for what Chowdhury had said. To which she replied, “He has already apologised.”
He has already apologised, an angry #SoniaGandhi tells @ANI on @adhirrcinc objectionable remark on @rashtrapatibhvn pic.twitter.com/2zAffAV9oR
— 🦏 Payal M/પાયલ મેહતા/ पायल मेहता/ পাযেল মেহতা (@payalmehta100) July 28, 2022
In a statement to the media, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “When Sonia Gandhi came to our MP and tried to talk to her, one of our other MPs came and asked what had happened. That time Sonia Gandhi said, ‘You don’t talk to me’ with an almost threatening voice. She has not apologised for her behaviour. Secondly, she is misleading that Adhir has apologised. What is this behaviour?”
Sonia Gandhi spoke to a Member of Parliament in a threatening tone, @nsitharaman said in parliament! Those Who saw from the gallery know that the lady MP being referred to here is @smritiirani pic.twitter.com/7mnl8VajCB
— 🦏 Payal M/પાયલ મેહતા/ पायल मेहता/ পাযেল মেহতা (@payalmehta100) July 28, 2022
The controversial ‘Rashtrapatni’ comment by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has sparked a massive controversy by calling President Draupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned after a huge uproar over this issue. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury admitted that it was his ‘mistake’ to call President Draupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. However, the Congress leader has refused to apologize and said that the ruling party is trying to make mountain out of a molehill.
Amidst the uproar, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has clarified his statement. He said, “Two days ago when I was going towards Vijay Chowk, I was being asked where you’re going. I was telling them that I want to go to Rashtrapati Bhavan and meet the President. Yesterday, I spoke this word (Rashtrapatni – apparently meaning wife of the nation) by mistake. I know that whoever the President of India is, he is the ‘Rashtrapati’ for us. I spoke that word only once. This is a mistake. But some people of the ruling party are trying to make mountain out of a molehill. Once I uttered that word, so what to do now? Hang me to death. I don’t have anything to say about the BJP.”
