Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary deliberately called President Murmu 'Rashtrapatni', repeated it twice: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): While demanding an apology from Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that Congress Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary deliberately called President Droupdai Murmu 'Rashtrapatni' and repeated it twice.
"An apology has to come from the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. There's no question of anything else," top government sources said.
Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said the country will never tolerate this insult to tribal people.
"The way Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has insulted the President shows their mentality. This country will never tolerate this insult to our tribal people. After all that, he said that there is no need to apologise for this," said Goyal.
"He said that deliberately and repeated it twice. Is this a small incident? We demand Congress interim president to apologise in the parliament and also in front of the country," he added.
Meanwhile, Chowdhary said that he had mistakenly used the term "Rashtrapatni" for President Murmu and that the ruling party was deliberately trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.
Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi said, "Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has already apologised."
In Lok Sabha Smriti Irani spoke on Chowdhury's remarks and sought an apology from him and Sonia Gandhi. BJP members were on their feet supporting her.
In Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi.
"It was a deliberate sexist insult. Sonia Gandhi should apologise to the President of India and the country," said Finance Minister.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also slammed the Opposition and sought an immediate apology from the Berhampore MP.
"This is an insult to the tribal people of the country and the President of India. He should immediately apologize. Sonia Gandhi should also apologize for appointing someone like him," said Joshi.
Union Minister Smriti Irani this morning addressing a press conference slammed Congress while demanding an apology for maliciously targeting President Droupadi Murmu and said the country knows that the opposition party is "anti-tribal, anti-Dalit and anti-women".
The Congress needs to apologise in Parliament and on the streets of India, Smriti Irani said.
"Ever since the name of Droupadi Murmu has been announced as the candidate for the presidency of India. She has been targeted maliciously by the Congress party. Congressmen had termed her as a puppet candidate, Congressmen have called her a symbol of evil. Their attacks do not seem to stop against Droupadi Murmu ji even after she has now been elected to the highest constitutional office of the country," said Smriti Irani addressing reporters here today before the Parliament began proceedings for the day.
The Union Minister lashed out at the opposition party, which said that despite being led by a woman leader Sonia Gandhi, Congressmen continue to demean women in constitutional posts.
"The Congressman knew that to address the President of India in this way not only demeans her constitutional post but also the rich tribal legacy that she represents," Smriti Irani said.
Meanwhile, BJP MPs including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman staged a protest at Parliament against the Congress MP's remark.
Previously, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar on Wednesday had said that Droupadi Murmu represents a "very evil philosophy of India."
Ajoy Kumar alleged the condition of scheduled castes in India had become 'worse' and that Droupadi Murmu should not be used as an 'adivasi symbol' by the ruling party.
"It's not about Droupadi Murmu. Yashwant Sinha is also a good candidate and Murmu is also a decent person. But she represents a very evil philosophy of India. We should not make her a symbol of 'adivasi'. We have President Ram Nath Kovind (and) Hathras (the gangrape and murder of a young Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh) happened. Has he said a word? The condition of scheduled castes has become worse," Kumar said.
BJP MPs including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday also staged a protest at Parliament against the Congress MP's remark. (ANI)