'Could Hardly Speak, Poor Thing': Sonia Gandhi's Remark On President Murmu's Parliament Speech Sparks Row
The use of the phrase "poor thing" by Sonia Gandhi has ignited a controversy ahead of the Budget session as the BJP has called the remark 'demeaning', demanding apology.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Friday reacted to President Droupadi Murmu's Parliament address ahead of the Budget session, saying that the President had become "tired" towards the end of her address and "could hardly speak". She then went on to call her a "poor thing" as she commented on the President's address to the Parliament.
"The President was getting very tired by the end. She could hardly speak, poor thing," Sonia Gandhi, who also attended the joint sitting of both the Houses, said. Her children Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present with her.
"Boring? No comments? Repeating the same thing again and again?" Rahul Gandhi could be heard saying while his mother was reacting to the President's speech.
#WATCH | Delhi | After the President's address to the Parliament, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi says,"...The President was getting very tired by the end...She could hardly speak, poor thing..." pic.twitter.com/o6cwoeYFdE
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2025
BJP Demands 'Unconditional Apology' For 'Demeaning' Remark
The use of the phrase "poor thing" did not go down well with the Bharatiya Janata Party and ignited a controversy ahead of the Budget session. Latching on to the remark, the BJP demanded an "unconditional apology" from Sonia Gandhi, saying the remark was "demeaning".
BJP chief JP Nadda lashed out at the Congress over its senior leader's remarks, saying "I and every @BJP4India Karyakarta STRONGLY CONDEMNS the usage of the phrase "poor thing" by Smt. Sonia Gandhi for Honourable President of India, Droupadi Murmu Ji. The deliberate usage of such words shows the elitist, anti-poor and anti-tribal nature of the Congress Party.
"I demand that the Congress Party unconditionally apologise to the Honourable President and the tribal communities of India," he said, in a post on X.
I and every @BJP4India Karyakarta STRONGLY CONDEMNS the usage of the phrase "poor thing" by Smt. Sonia Gandhi for Honourable President of India, Droupadi Murmu Ji. The deliberate usage of such words shows the elitist, anti-poor and anti-tribal nature of the Congress Party. I…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) January 31, 2025
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also slammed Sonia Gandhi's comments, calling them "shocking beyond belief" and "appalling".
Accusing the Congress of arrogance, he said: "Referring to her in such a condescending and derogatory way is appalling. One is beginning to wonder if Congress is a political party in a functioning democracy, or is it a set of entitled and arrogant people with scant respect for institutions of our Republic, including the Head of State."
Sonia Gandhi Ji’s comment on the President of India, is shocking beyond belief. Referring to her in such a condescending and derogatory way is appalling. One is beginning to wonder if Congress is a political party in a functioning democracy, or is it a set of entitled and… pic.twitter.com/HGNPpvx6RA
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) January 31, 2025
Union Minister Piyush Goyal also criticised the remark, accusing the Congress of not being able to accept that the President of India "comes from a tribal background".
"When we are celebrating 75 years of India's Republic, when we are starting the Parliament Budget session with the address by the President of India, the Congress and INDI alliance partners are unable to digest that PM Modi has won for the third time. They are unable to come to terms that Droupadi Murmu, who comes from a tribal background, is the President of India," he said.
VIDEO | Here's what Union Minister Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) said on Congress MP Sonia Gandhi's 'poor thing' remark over the President’s address to the joint session of Parliament.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 31, 2025
"When we are celebrating 75 years of India's Republic, when we are starting the Parliament… pic.twitter.com/VML6WFH5fv
'Spare This Annual Embarrassment', Says Congress
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal alleged that the President was "made to deliver a political speech" and that everything was a "complete lie and a jumla".
Congress MP Manish Tewari called the address a "ritualistic reiteration of a laundry list of the Government's alleged achievements" and that the President should be "spared this annual embarrassment".
The President’s address unfortunately is nothing more than a ritualistic reiteration of a laundry list of the Government’s alleged achievements.
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) January 31, 2025
The @rashtrapatibhvn should be spared this annual embarrassment.
Otherwise the Hon’ble President of India @rashtrapatibhvn should be…
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Droupadi Murmu's address, calling it a "resonant outline" of India's journey to becoming a 'Viksit Bharat'. He also highlighted that her speech provided a clear vision for an India, laying out roadmaps for achieving goals through determination and unity.
During her address today, President Murmu stated that the government worked hard to lift the economy out of "policy paralysis" despite the situation during the Covid-19 pandemic and the global conflicts. She also lauded the government for developments made in the railway and aviation sectors. The President also flagged concerns ovr cybercrimes and digital fraud that pose challenges to the security of the nation.
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