Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday strongly criticized Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for her comment referring to President Droupadi Murmu as a “poor thing.” At a political rally in Delhi, Modi condemned the remark, claiming it was an insult to Murmu, a tribal woman who rose to the highest constitutional office in India. He also called out the Congress party’s “royal family” for disrespecting a “tribal daughter.”
Modi pointed out that Murmu, hailing from a tribal family, delivered an inspiring speech in Parliament, where she proudly represented her roots and culture. He emphasized that her mother tongue was Odia, not Hindi, and that she spoke eloquently despite the challenges she faced. However, he noted that members of the Congress party, including Sonia Gandhi, had insulted her efforts. Modi specifically referred to the remarks made by Congress leaders who called her speech “boring” and further criticized Gandhi’s comment calling her a “poor thing.”
“This is not just an insult to President Droupadi Murmu,” said Modi, “but an insult to the 10 crore tribal brothers and sisters of India. This is an insult to every poor person in the country.” Modi also accused the Congress of promoting an elitist and anti-tribal agenda, suggesting that their attitude reflected their disconnection from the reality faced by ordinary citizens.
The BJP swiftly condemned Sonia Gandhi’s words. BJP President JP Nadda expressed strong disapproval, calling the comment “elitist, anti-poor, and anti-tribal.” He stated that the usage of such language revealed the Congress party’s disregard for the dignity of the office of the President and showed their disdain for the tribals of India.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan also responded sharply to the comment, labeling it as “in poor taste.” A statement from the President’s office emphasized that remarks like these, which undermine the dignity of the President’s office, are unacceptable. The Rashtrapati Bhavan expressed disapproval of the Congress leaders’ choice of words, underscoring the need to respect the high office of the President, regardless of political differences.
This incident follows Sonia Gandhi’s reaction to President Murmu’s address to Parliament, where she commented that the President appeared “tired” by the end of her speech, adding that she could hardly speak, referring to her as “poor thing.”
The controversy surrounding this remark has stirred political tensions, with Modi and other BJP leaders accusing Congress of showing disrespect to President Murmu, whose rise from a tribal background to the office of President has been celebrated as a moment of empowerment for India’s marginalized communities.
