Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi ignited a political row on Friday with her controversial comments about President Droupadi Murmu during a media interaction ahead of the 2025 Budget Session. When asked about President Murmu's address to Parliament, Sonia Gandhi remarked, "The poor lady, the President, was getting tired at the end. She could hardly speak, poor thing."
The remark quickly drew sharp reactions, with many condemning it as disrespectful. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Tejasvi Surya, were quick to criticise Sonia Gandhi's comments, calling them an unnecessary attack on the dignity of the office of the President.
Tejasvi Surya, a BJP MP, responded by highlighting that the President's address was a detailed reflection of the significant achievements of the Modi government over the past decade. "The last 10 years have been significant in terms of the country’s development. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the country has achieved new milestones," Surya said, praising the government's work for youth, women, the middle class, and the poor.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan also weighed in, emphasizing that the President's address reflected the welfare policies and development initiatives undertaken in the last 10 years. "Efforts were made to reduce the gap between the rich and poor," he added, pointing out that the Modi government had implemented schemes aimed at uplifting the most vulnerable sections of society.
On the other hand, Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal lauded the President's speech as visionary and progressive. "It was a very visionary and progressive speech by the President. He talked about the steps being taken for youth, innovation, and higher education," Chaudhary said, stressing the importance of the government's policies for future growth.
Sonia Gandhi’s comment comes at a time when political temperatures are rising ahead of the Budget 2025 session, with various parties positioning themselves for the crucial discussions on India’s fiscal future.
