Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury apologises to President for 'Rashtrapatni' remark, calls it slip of tongue; issue rocks Parliament again

Tribune News Service

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, July 29

Cornered Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury today apologised to President Droupadi Murmu for his “Rashtrapatni” remark, terming the “incorrect word to describe her position” a “slip of the tongue”.

“I am writing to express my regret for having mistakenly used an incorrect word to describe the position you hold. I assure you that it was a slip of the tongue. I apologise and request you to accept the same,” he wrote on a day the BJP insisted on an apology in Parliament by Congress president Sonia Gandhi for his remark.

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Earlier today, Sonia also chaired a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party where this issue is learnt to have been discussed. Though Chowdhury called it a slip of the tongue, the BJP has been directly attacking Sonia, seeking an apology from her.

Today again, the two Houses saw disruptions amid protests and sloganeering by both the Opposition as well as treasury benches on various issues, including Chowdhury’s comment and the ensuing spat between Union Minister Smriti Irani and Sonia after the Lok Sabha was adjourned yesterday. The two Houses were adjourned within minutes of commencement of proceedings on the tenth day of the stormy monsoon session on Friday.

While Chowdhury has apologised to the President, as promised by him yesterday, it remains to be seen if the BJP will treat the apology as the end of the matter.

For the second week in a row, the two Houses failed to transact any significant business due to the disruptions.

Sources say a debate on price rise and related issues is scheduled in Parliament next week. The BJP’s all-out offensive against the Congress over Chowdhury’s “deliberate sexist insult” worsened the stalemate already persisting over “rising inflation”. Irani’s fierce attack targeting Sonia in the Lok Sabha yesterday resulted in Congress MPs demanding an apology from the BJP. As soon as the Lok Sabha met at 11 am, Congress MPs along with other Opposition members were in the Well of the House raising slogans against the government. The BJP’s women members also stood up and raised counter-slogans, demanding an apology from Sonia for Chowdhury’s remark against the President.

After the House reassembled at 12 noon, similar scenes were witnessed with members, including BJP ministers, on their feet while Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, transacted some business related to laying of papers amid the uproar.

Likewise, in the Rajya Sabha, Opposition parties pressed for a discussion on the hooch tragedy in Gujarat, record rise in prices of essential commodities and revocation of suspension of 23 members while BJP members insisted on the apology.

Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge later said that BJP was raising Chowdhury’s issue to “avoid discussion on inflation in Parliament”.

“Even after Adhir Chowdhury has apologised for his remark, the BJP is demanding an apology from Sonia Gandhi. They are doing this deliberately so that they don’t have to discuss issues like price rise and inflation,” he alleged. Meanwhile, Chowdhury, accused Irani and other BJP leaders of “dragging” Sonia into the President remark issue. “The government must apologise for the way Sonia Gandhi was targeted in Parliament.”

He also attacked Irani for repeatedly referring to President Murmu as “Droupadi Murmu”. “What is this? Calling a woman tribal President Droupadi Murmu again and again! Shouldn’t she be referred to as Rashtrapati ji?” Chowdhury said.

Some Opposition members also accused the BJP of “creating ill-will and divisions between members”.

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