In a rare and sharp response, the President’s office asserted that the remark made by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on President Droupadi Murmu was not only disrespectful but also reflective of a patronizing attitude towards India’s first tribal President. The statement has further fueled political tensions, with the BJP accusing the Congress of elitism and disregard for marginalized communities.
Rashtrapati Bhawan issued a statement in which it said, that, “While reacting to the media on the Hon’ble President’s Address to the Parliament, some prominent leaders of the Congress party have made comments that clearly hurt the dignity of the high office, and therefore are unacceptable. These leaders have said that the President was getting very tired by the end and she could hardly speak.”
Rashtrapati Bhavan would like to clarify that nothing could be farther from the truth. The President was not tired at any point. Indeed, she has believed that speaking up for the marginalized communities, for women and farmers, as she was doing during the course of her address, can never be tiring. The President’s office believes it might be the case that these leaders have not acquainted themselves with the idiom and discourse in Indian languages such as Hindi, and thus formed a wrong impression. In any case, such comments are in poor taste, unfortunate and entirely avoidable.
This comes after in reaction to President Murmu’s address to the joint session of the Parliament, Sonia Gandhi said, “The President was getting very tired by the end…She could hardly speak, poor thing.”
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have come heavily on the former Congress chief over her remarks.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju demanded an apology from the Congress party.
“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,” Rijiju said.
President Murmu during her address, said that the government is working for all-round development, adding that the country has only one aim which is to become a Vikshit Bharat (developed India). She also emphasised that the government is working with a “saturation approach” so nobody is left in the journey.
Murmu said, “My government is working with the Saturation Approach, so nobody is left in the journey of Vikshit Bharat…We have only one aim to become Viksit Bharat.”
As the Made in India defence product goes global, the President lauded the government for taking steps towards self-reliance in the defence sector.
“The country has taken several historic steps to protect the country’s borders and ensure internal security…The govt has also taken steps towards self-reliance in the defence sector. From Make in India, we have moved to make for the world,” she said.
After the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla link railway project, President Murmu said that now India will be connected by railway line from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
“The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project has been completed and now the country will be connected by railway line from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. India’s metro rail network has now crossed the 1000-kilometre milestone. India has the world’s third-largest metro network,” the President stated. (With inputs from ANI)
