Rashtrapatni remark: The Congress party was protesting against the government for not allowing a debate on inflation.
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary on Thursday courted a massive controversy after he addressed President Droupadi Murmu as 'Rashtrapatni'. While the MP said it was a mere slip of the tongue, the BJP claimed he used the word to deliberately insult the newly elected President. How did the controversy begin?
The Congress party was protesting against the government for not allowing a debate on inflation. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary was also part of the protest. He was talking to the press claiming the government was not allowing Congress MPs to meet President Murmu. Here's what he exactly said.
"They didn't let us go yesterday. We will try to go today as well. The country's 'Rashtrapati' is for everyone. Rashtrapati ji, no Rashtrapatni ji, India's Rashtrapatni is for everyone. Why isn't she for us," he said.
This means he first called Murmu Rashtrapati and then changed his statement.
Due to this remark, the Congress and BJP MPs clashed with each other in Parliament. Even Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and BJP MP Smriti Irani exchanged a few words. Gandhi apparently told Irani, "Don't talk to me".
What should a woman president be called? This debate is very old. After Independence, the constituent assembly also discussed this issue. At the time, words like 'neta', captain, karndhar and sardaar had emerged. Some members wanted to call President 'chief executive'. After a long debate, there was consensus on the word Rashtrapati.
The United States of America also grappled with this problem when Hillary Clinton was contesting the 2016 presidential elections. It was discussed that she would be called Madam President if elected. However, Donald Trump won unexpectedly won the election and became the President of the most powerful country in the world.
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 "Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (File)")
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