The Budget Session of Parliament got off to a dramatic start with Congress MP Sonia Gandhi’s remarks, going directly for the jugular with a comment on President Droupadi Murmu that sparked controversy. The senior Congress leader, speaking to reporters, had said that she feared the President might feel exhausted over delivering the customary address. However, the remark “poor thing” brought down sharp reactions from the ruling BJP, calling it “derogatory” and reflective of the alleged feudal mindset of the Congress.
At a joint sitting of Parliament, President Murmu presented her vision of a reinvigorated government reviving the economy from “policy paralysis,” and accelerated infrastructure, agricultural and national security progress. She was followed in her speech by Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by her two children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was sought for a reaction.
“The President was getting very tired by the end. She could hardly speak, poor thing,” said Gandhi. Even Rahul Gandhi was heard telling her this by prompting her with certain remarks, like when he told his mother the whole speech sounded like repetition.
Congress MP Slammed for Her Controversial Remarks against President
The BJP was quick to condemn the remark, with MP Sukanta Majumdar saying,
“It is unacceptable for leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to use such language, especially against the President of India. The Congress’s feudal mindset cannot accept that an Adivasi woman now holds the highest constitutional position in the country.”
Congress hasn’t officially responded to the attack. Meanwhile, the BJP reminds of various previous episodes when it charged Congress leaders with elitism-mongering: Recall how Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his reference to the historic photograph of Indira Gandhi wearing a nose mask during her visit to Gujarat, described it as symbolic of the mindset of zamindari.
President Murmu had addressed various national-level issues earlier in the day by referencing economic growth, the inclusion of modernisation of the railway and aviation sectors, and growing worries over digital fraud. The head of the government also reminded that the administration was committed to making the country’s agriculture sector self-dependent and strengthening national security at all times.
Political Frenzy Over Sonia Gandhi’s Remarks on President Murmu
The controversy is likely to fuel further heated debates inside Parliament in the coming days.
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