'Rastrapatni' Row Takes Parliament by Storm

A major row broke out in the Parliament on Thursday after several BJP ministers including Nirmala Sitharaman and Smriti Irani protested against Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for his " Rastrapatni" remarks on President Droupadi Murmu. 

Holding placards near gate number one of Parliament House, the MPs, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje, raised slogans seeking an apology from the Leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha.

In the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Smriti Irani accused Chowdhury of disrespecting Murmu by calling her 'Rashtrapatni'. Irani claimed that Chowdhury has disrespected the entire tribal community, women, poor and the downtrodden by his remark.

"It was a deliberate insult by the Congress leader and the party president should apologise to the country, Sitharaman said outside Parliament House.

Referring to President Murmu as 'rashtrapatni' was a "slip of the tongue", Chowdhury said on Thursday and alleged that the BJP was making a "mountain out of a molehill" over the issue.