Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union Minister Smriti Irani were entangled in a great face-off in the Lok Sabha on 28 July over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s consideration of President Droupadi Murmu as a “Rashtrapatni”.
The sharp exchange occurred between House adjournments and will not be part of Parliament’s official records.
Mr Chowdhury’s selection of terms to relate to President Murmu on a TV channel ignited a conflict between the B. J . P and the leading Opposition group, with Parliamentary Affairs and Minister Pralhad Joshi demanding an apology from Ms Gandhi.
The Congress, in turn, approached the Lok Sabha Speaker to refer their complaint — against those BJP members who allegedly ‘surrounded’ the Congress chief — to the Privileges Committee.
Mr Chowdhury’s selection of terms to relate to President Murmu on a TV channel ignited a conflict between the B. J . P and the leading Opposition group, with Parliamentary Affairs and Minister Pralhad Joshi demanding an apology from Ms Gandhi.
The Congress, in turn, moved toward the Lok Sabha Speaker to suggest their ailment — against those BJP members who allegedly ‘surrounded’ the Congress chief — to the Privileges Committee.
What Transpired Before Adjournment
As soon as the House had gathered at 11 a.m., Ms Smriti got up and requested an apology from Mr Chowdhury and Ms Gandhi for disrespecting the President.
“You enacted the remorse of Droupadi Murmu; you sanctioned the embarrassment of the tribal estate of this territory,” Ms Irani indicated in the Lok Sabha, suggesting toward Ms Gandhi.
Soon the ruling party members came to be shouting Sonia Gandhi ‘maafi mango’, [Sonia do apologise].
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla broke off the House after the Minister had made her question on the ground of the House. As the House broke off the afternoon, Ms Gandhi walked over to the Treasury Department benches. She questioned senior BJP member Rama Devi about her name being pulled into the controversy.
MsIrani then interceded, and a short conversation followed. There are, however, rivalling interpretations of what was mumbled by the two leaders.
BJP author said when Ms Gandhi was asking Ms Devi why her [Sonia Gandhi]’s name was being taken, Ms Irani intervened and pointed out, “I am one the who took your name? Why are you asking her?”
Thereupon Ms Gandhi was referred to by BJP references as saying, “Don’t you invite discuss to me,” to which Ms Irani reportedly responded by asserting, “Don’t behave badly with me or try to frighten me”.
With other BJP MPs joining in and thronging around Ms Gandhi and Ms Devi, Nationalist Congress Party’s Supriya Sule and Trinamool’s Aparupa Poddar supported the Congress chief away from the Treasury Benches.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman noted the incident thus: “She [Ms Gandhi] said, ’you don’t talk to me. As if settling a member of Parliament down the in the House. So rather of remorse, we find from the most outstanding leader of the Congress party greater and greater invasion.”
Meanwhile, Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh recommended a statement opposing BJP’s claims. Remarking Ms Irani spoke to the Congress chief in an ‘insulting’ tone after ‘accosting’ her, Mr Ramesh said, “When Sonia Gandhi reasonably told her that she is not conversing to her [Ms Irani], but to another MP, then Smriti Irani screamed and said, ‘you don’t know me, who I am. Several other MPs are witness to it”.
Trinamool Mahua Moitra tweeted that the 75-year-old lady leader (citing Ms Gandhi) was “encircled and annoyed pack-wolf style”.
Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party member Danish Ali tweeted, contesting why Ms Irani related to the President only by her name, “I strongly urge an absolute apology from @smritiirani Ji for insulting Hon’ble President of India @rashtrapatibhvn while calling her term on the floor of the House, in an inappropriate and distasteful manner ”.
Meanwhile, Mr Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary announced his consideration to the President as “Rashtrapatni”: “I am a Bengali and admit that I am not that good in Hindi. I made a blunder, and I will meet Rashtrapati Ji and seek her kindness. I have pursued time from her, but I am not prepared to apologise to do these [BJP] pakhandis charlatans.”
