GUWAHATI, Jan 31: Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi today courted a blazing controversy after she called her “a poor thing” while reacting o the President’s joint address in Parliament on the opening day of the Budget Session.
“The President was getting very tired by the end…She could hardly speak, poor thing,” Sonia Gandhi told reporters after President Murmu’s address.
The BJP and other NDA partners were quick to react with the BJP calling Sonia Gandhi’s comments “disrespectful” while demanding an apology from the former Congress president.
“Former Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi’s use of the phrase “poor thing” to refer to the President is deeply disrespectful and underscores the opposition’s continued disregard for the dignity of the highest constitutional office. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident,” Nadda said on ‘X’.
“While the President was highlighting the government’s achievements, the opposition—driven by its feudal mindset—chose instead to mock the empowerment of backward classes and women, a transformation brought about under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership,” he added.
“… It is unfortunate that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi made such an inappropriate comment on President Droupadi Murmu… She called her a ‘poor thing’ which translates to ‘bechari’. The President can never be ‘poor thing’… The position she holds and where she comes from, she can never be a ‘poor thing’. She is empowered and capable… If anything, Rahul Gandhi is the only ‘poor thing’ in the country…,” news agency quoted BJP MP Sambit Patra as saying.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also reacted after the controversy condemning Sonia Gandhi’s remark.
“I condemn the comments made by Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Our President, a tribal woman, is not weak… Droupadi Murmu has worked extensively for the country and society and they cannot even imagine the kind of work she has done… They should apologise to her,” Union minister Kiren Rijiju said.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan, meanwhile, termed Sonia Gandhi’s comment on President Murmu as “unfortunate and entirely avoidable” and that they were “in poor taste” and have “hurt the dignity of the high office”.
