Delhi (The Stellar News): On Thursday, the parliament witnessed a heated exchange between the ruling party BJP and the Congress over the alleged remarks made by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury against President Droupadi Murmu. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha briefly adjourned after the treasury benches demanded an apology from Congress party’s member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury over his ‘sexist insult’ of the President.
BJP, which was facing protests in the Parliament over price rise and inflation, accused the Congress of ‘demeaning’ the President Droupadi Murmu and sought an apology after its leader called her “rashtrapatni”.
Union Minister Smriti Irani said Mr. Chowdhury used the term knowing well that it demeans Ms. Murmu and her office and is against India’s values. “The Congress should apologise to the President and the country”, she told the reporters.
The House witnessed an up-roar, with BJP MPs accusing the Congress of being anti-adivasi and anti-women causing the adjournment of the House within a few minutes after it met at 11 am.
When the House was adjourned and Sonia Gandhi turned to leave, at the same time BJP women MPs started shouting, “Sonia Gandhi maafi mango”. On hearing this, Gandhi went up to talk to Rama Devi, a senior BJP MP and one of the presiding officers for the Lok Sabha. Apparently, Gandhi asked her why her name was being dragged into the matter. She also wanted to convey that Chowdhury’s remark was a slip of a tongue and that he had already apologized. But seeing Gandhi walking to the treasury bench side, Irani intervened, said Congress leaders.
When Gandhi approached them, the BJP women MPs who were standing around Irani started shouting “maafi mango”. Gandhi was seen saying something to Irani who was then heard asking’ “How can you talk to me like that and that she (Sonia Gandhi) is intimidating us”, Congress sources said.
Report: Deepanjot Kaur (Under Training)
