Guwahati: Chief Ministers of states where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power have criticised Congressman Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for calling President Droupadi Murmu “Rashtrapatni” on Thursday.
They have sought an apology from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, while calling for a boycott of the party. President Murmu was referred to as “rashtrapatni” by Chowdhury, setting up BJP MPs in the parliament who demanded an apology from him.
Meanwhile, Chowdhury said that he had used the expression inadvertently and that the ruling party was attempting to turn a stone into a mountain. He declared that he will personally apologise to the President in person.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma referred to the phrase as “slang” and added that every Indian should condemn him for his statement.
He stated, “Tribal community member and Congress politician Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury used slang against the President. Every Indian should be outraged at the manner he denigrated the prestigious position of President. Each and every Indian should boycott Sonia Gandhi, the Congress, and its leaders.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath referred to it as a national and constitutional insult. Indecent remarks spoken by a congressman running for president are unacceptable, he said. It is offensive to women, the Constitution, and the tribal community. It’s also a slight against the country in a manner. I despise the Congress and the MP. They ought to apologise to the populace. Such words will never be tolerated in this country.
“Congress lawmaker Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is addicted to making contentious remarks to get attention, be it in Parliament or outside of it,” stated CM of Himachal Pradesh, Jairam Thakur. To show respect for the nation’s first tribal leader, he must stand.
Moreover, the Goa CM Pramod Sawant too criticised the Congress and singled out its leader. “Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury used the wrong words to describe the President, who speaks for the entire nation. For the first time, a tribal woman was elected president of India. We denounce AR Chowdhury and the Congress. He should apologise to the whole nation,” he said.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar referred to Sonia Gandhi as the poor and the tribals’ spokesperson and demanded an apology from her. “Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s insulting of President Murmu is completely unacceptable. She is the nation’s first tribal president. She stands for tribal people and the underprivileged. Sonia Gandhi and the leaders of the Congress should ask the entire nation for forgiveness, CM Khattar said.
In addition, the chief minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel also criticised the Congressman for making the remarks, calling them demeaning to the country’s women.
“The words are unlawful and reflect poorly on the president’s position,” he declared. Such remarks have shown disrespect for both women and the President. The nation’s citizens deserve an apology from Congress for this.
In addition, Union minister Piyush Goyal claimed that Chowdhury repeated it twice on purpose.
Smriti Irani of the BJP attacked Chowdhury in the Lok Sabha and demanded an apology from both of them. Other party members quickly stood up in opposition to the Congress MP and supported her.
Meanwhile, Union minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha. It was a purposeful sexist insult, she alleged. Sonia Gandhi needs to apologise to the nation and the President of India.
The party’s MPs along with Sitharaman protested Chowdhury in the Rajya Sabha.