New Delhi: A fresh political controversy erupted on Wednesday after former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s remarks about President Droupadi Murmu sparked outrage from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Defending her mother, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra clarified that Sonia Gandhi had made an innocent remark with no intention of disrespecting the President and accused the BJP of twisting the issue for political mileage.
The controversy began when Sonia Gandhi, after President Murmu’s address to the joint session of Parliament, reportedly said, “The President read such a long speech; she must have been tired, poor thing.” The remark, perceived by the BJP as condescending and disrespectful towards the Head of State, led to a barrage of criticism from the ruling party. Several BJP leaders demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi, arguing that such a comment was inappropriate and undermined the dignity of the office of the President of India.
Union Minister Smriti Irani was among the first to react, calling the statement an insult to President Murmu and a reflection of the Congress party’s “elitist mindset.” BJP leaders accused the Congress of consistently disrespecting women from marginalized communities, pointing out that President Murmu, India’s first tribal woman President, has been at the receiving end of such remarks in the past.
Responding to the growing controversy, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly defended her mother, calling the BJP’s reaction an overblown attempt to divert attention from pressing national issues.
“My mother is a 70-80 years old lady. She simply said that ‘the President read such a long speech, she must have been tired, poor thing.’ She fully respects the President of India. It is very unfortunate that this kind of thing is twisted by the media and the BJP. They are two respected people, both older than us, and there was no disrespect meant in any way,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
She further criticized the BJP for sensationalizing the remark while ignoring their own history of disrespect towards women and opposition leaders. “If the BJP is so concerned about respect and dignity, they should first apologize for their own words and actions, including pushing my mother into a gorge,” she added, referring to past political attacks on Sonia Gandhi.
Congress leaders rallied behind Sonia Gandhi, accusing the BJP of hypocrisy. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh posted on social media, “The BJP is desperately trying to manufacture controversies because they have nothing else to offer. Sonia Gandhi’s remark was harmless, and it is shameful that the ruling party is trying to distort it for political gain.”
Congress also pointed out past instances where BJP leaders made controversial remarks about prominent leaders but never apologized. They cited derogatory comments made against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi by BJP leaders, questioning why similar outrage was missing then.
Despite the clarifications, the BJP continued to demand an apology from Sonia Gandhi. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated, “This is not the first time Congress leaders have shown disrespect to a tribal woman holding the highest constitutional post. They called her a rubber stamp before, and now this. Congress must apologize.”
Several BJP leaders also took to social media, accusing the Congress of harboring a feudal mindset that looks down upon women and marginalized communities.
The latest controversy adds to the ongoing hostilities between the BJP and Congress, with the 2024 general elections still casting a long shadow over political discourse. The ruling BJP has consistently targeted the Congress over its alleged history of undermining constitutional authorities, while the Congress has accused the BJP of deflecting attention from real issues by creating unnecessary controversies.
This incident is expected to dominate political discussions in the coming days, further intensifying the already polarized political atmosphere. While Congress attempts to downplay the controversy, BJP leaders are unlikely to let go of the issue easily, ensuring that it remains a talking point in the ongoing Parliament session.
