'Rashtrapatni' row rocks Parliament as BJP accuses Congress of 'demeaning' President Murmu
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha proceedings were on Thursday adjourned till 12 noon amid uproar as the BJP strongly protested against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remark on President Droupadi Murmu.
As soon as the House met at 11 am, Union Minister Smriti Irani accused Chowdhury of disrespecting Murmu by calling her 'Rashtrapatni' on Wednesday.
Irani claimed that Choudhury has disrespected the entire tribal community, women, poor and the downtrodden by his remark.
She demanded an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi for Chowdhury's remark, claiming that Gandhi sanctioned the humiliation of a poor tribal woman who has become the country's president.
BJP MPs strongly supported Irani, inviting counter protests from Congress members.
As the turmoil continued for a few minutes, 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 President is called "rashtrapati" in Hindi.
"A tribal woman from a poor family who created history is being continuously demeaned by the Congress," she told reporters.
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.
Irani alleged that the Congress has been targeting her "maliciously" ever since the BJP-led NDA named Murmu its presidential candidate, and said she was called a "puppet" and a "symbol of evil" by its leaders.
The attacks do not seem to stop even after her election to the highest constitutional office of the country, the BJP leader said.
Chowdhury's comment is also demeaning to the rich tribal legacy she represents and to the poor who rise through hard work.
The President is called "rashtrapati" in Hindi.
Murmu, India's first tribal President, had led a life of struggle and represents the country's aspirations from panchayat to Parliament, Irani said and charged that the Congress under its president Sonia Gandhi has repeatedly targeted women.
Rajya Sabha was adjourned for almost an hour on Thursday as the Opposition stuck to its demand for a discussion on price rise and the treasury benches sought an apology from Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury over his "sexist insult" of the President.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu took exception to opposition MPs rushing into the well holding placards over the issue of price rise, saying the members doing so are being named and they have to go out.
He allowed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to make a submission on Chowdhury calling President Droupadi Murmu "Rashtrapatni".
After Sitharaman sought an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi over Chowdhury's remarks, women MPs from the treasury benches also joined her in raising the issue.
Opposition MPs continued shouting slogans, forcing Naidu to adjourn the proceedings till 12 noon.
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