No Disrespect Meant: Priyanka Gandhi Defends Sonia’s Remarks on President Murmu

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has addressed her mother Sonia Gandhi's recent comments about President Droupadi Murmu, defending them as misinterpreted. She stated, "My mother is a 70-80-year-old woman. She simply said that the President must have been tired reading such a long speech, poor thing."

Priyanka said that Sonia has great respect for the President and expressed frustration at how the media distorted her words. "It's unfortunate that the media twisted her comments. Both women are highly respected and older than us, and it's clear that no disrespect was intended," she added.

The controversy erupted after President Murmu delivered a speech to a joint session of Parliament, with Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka Gandhi later seen discussing it. In a viral video, Sonia Gandhi was heard saying, "The poor lady, the President, was getting very tired by the end... she could hardly speak, poor thing."

Priyanka also criticised the BJP for politicizing the matter, urging them to "apologise first for ruining the country." The BJP had condemned Sonia Gandhi's remarks, calling them disrespectful to the office of the President. They accused the Congress party of displaying a feudal mindset, particularly given President Murmu's historic role as India's first tribal woman President.

In response, the Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a statement clarifying that President Murmu was not tired during her speech. The statement refuted claims that the President was exhausted, stating that advocating for marginalised communities, women, and farmers, as she did in her address, is never tiring.

"The President's office believes that these leaders may not be familiar with the idioms and expressions used in Indian languages like Hindi, which could have led to a misinterpretation. Regardless, such comments are in poor taste, unfortunate, and entirely unnecessary," the statement read.