The Rashtrapati Bhavan has strongly criticized senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s recent remarks about President Droupadi Murmu, calling them “unacceptable” and stating that they “clearly hurt the dignity of the high office.” Without directly naming Gandhi, the Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a statement defending President Murmu and rejecting the claim that she was tired during her address to Parliament.
In response to comments made by some Congress leaders regarding the President’s speech, the Rashtrapati Bhavan stated, “While reacting to the media on the Hon’ble President’s Address to the Parliament, some prominent leaders of the Congress party have made comments that clearly hurt the dignity of the high office, and therefore are unacceptable. These leaders have said that the President was getting very tired by the end and she could hardly speak.”
The statement clarified that President Murmu was “not tired at any point,” adding that she firmly believes speaking up for marginalized communities, women, and farmers can “never be tiring.” The Rashtrapati Bhavan further suggested that the leaders may not be familiar with the idiomatic expressions and discourse in Indian languages, specifically Hindi, which may have led to a misinterpretation. “In any case, such comments are in poor taste, unfortunate and entirely avoidable,” the statement concluded.
This controversy arose after Sonia Gandhi, reacting to President Murmu’s address to the joint session of Parliament, said, “The President was getting very tired by the end… She could hardly speak, poor thing.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly condemned Gandhi’s remarks. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju demanded an apology from the Congress party. “I condemn the comments made by Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Our President, a tribal woman, is not weak… Droupadi Murmu has worked extensively for the country and society, and they cannot even imagine the kind of work she has done. They should apologize to her,” Rijiju said.
In her address to Parliament, President Murmu emphasized that the government is focused on all-round development with the ultimate goal of transforming India into a “Viksit Bharat” (developed India). She also highlighted the government’s “saturation approach” to ensure no one is left behind in this journey.
Murmu also applauded the steps taken toward self-reliance in defense, stating, “The country has taken several historic steps to protect our borders and ensure internal security… From Make in India, we have moved to make for the world.”
She also noted the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project, stating, “Now the country will be connected by railway line from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.” Additionally, she highlighted India’s expanding metro network, which has now crossed the 1,000-kilometer milestone, making it the world’s third-largest metro network.
