Priyanka Gandhi has defended her mother, Sonia Gandhi, after a video clip sparked controversy. Sonia Gandhi’s informal comments about President Droupadi Murmu’s apparent exhaustion following her Parliament address have been interpreted by some as derogatory.
The video shows Sonia Gandhi saying, “The poor lady, the President, was getting very tired by the end… she could hardly speak, poor thing.” This remark has ignited a fresh conflict between the BJP and Congress.
Priyanka Gandhi countered that her mother’s words were misinterpreted, stating, “My mother is a 78-year-old lady, she has simply said that ‘the President read such a long speech and she must have been tired, poor thing’. She fully respects the President of India. I think it is very unfortunate that this kind of thing is twisted by the media. She means no disrespect. BJP should first apologize for pushing into a gorge,”
#WATCH | Delhi: On Sonia Gandhi’s remarks on President Murmu and her speech, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, “My mother is a 70-80 years old lady, she has simply said that ‘the President read such a long speech and she must have been tired, poor thing’…she fully… pic.twitter.com/Kmi2GCsgz5
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2025
Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Response
Rashtrapati Bhavan released a statement condemning the remarks as “unacceptable” and “hurtful to the dignity of the high office.” The statement refuted the suggestion that the President was tired, emphasizing her commitment to speaking for marginalized communities. It also hinted at a possible misunderstanding due to language differences.
The statement concluded that the comments were “in poor taste, unfortunate, and entirely avoidable.”
BJP Demands Apology
BJP leaders strongly criticized Sonia Gandhi’s comments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of an elitist mindset, disrespectful to India’s first tribal President. He stated, “Both Congress and AAP display arrogance…Sonia Gandhi’s comments were totally inappropriate, calling President Droupadi Murmu ‘a poor thing’ after saying she looked tired and gave a boring speech. This remark insults not just the President but also every poor and tribal community.”
BJP president JP Nadda called for an unconditional apology, describing the remarks as “deeply disrespectful.” Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Dharmendra Pradhan echoed these sentiments, condemning the comments as an “unprecedented insult” to the President.
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