'Rashtrapatni' Remark Row: NCW Calls Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury To Appear Before Panel

The NCW has written to the Congress party president Sonia Gandhi asking her to take action against Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. 

Congress Leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

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New Delhi: The National Commission for Women sent a notice to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to appear before its panel and tender a written explanation for his remark. The hearing has been scheduled for August 3 at 11:30 am, according to news agency ANI. NCW chief Rekha Sharma on Thursday said that the Congress MP's comment on President Droupadi Murmu is "sexist" and stated that it shows his "mindset towards women". 

Speaking to ANI, the NCW chief said, "The remark of Parliamentarian Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury towards the President of India is very derogatory. This sexist remark shows his mindset towards women. When he can speak like this towards the highest authority of India, how must he be behaving with others?"

She further said that the NCW has written to the Congress party interim-president asking her to take action against him. 

"He must apologise, in writing. His party president should take action against him. We have also written to Sonia Gandhi Ji regarding the same. NCW has summoned AR Chowdhury; he must come and apologise," Sharma added, ANI reported.

In a joint statement, Chairperson Rekha Sharma and Chairpersons and representatives of State Commissions of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Telangana, Tripura, Odisha, Maharashtra, Manipur, and Rajasthan, who were present at the quarterly meeting in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh have condemned the words used by Chowdhury as an attempt to humiliate the President.

The press release said that the remarks made are extremely derogatory, sexist, and condemnable, the Commission has taken cognisance of the matter, ANI reported.

He was also sent a summons for August 3 at 11:30 during which he will have to offer a written explanation about his comment. 

Meanwhile, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury after facing backlash for calling President Murmu 'rashtrapatni', said that he can't even think of insulting President Droupadi Murmu and he will personally meet her and apologise. 

"The President is a teacher and she knows the problem of language, yet if she has been hurt, I will apologise to her myself, not to these hypocrites," he said.

While speaking to ABP News, Chowdhury said, "I am a Bengali and not used to Hindi. I made a mistake, I agree," adding it was nothing but a slip of tongue. Chowdhury also said that the term was used only once by mistake and he never intended any disrespect to the President even as the BJP stalled both Houses of Parliament on Thursday and asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apologise to the nation. 

(With Agency Inputs)