4 hours Ago By TOI News Desk
File photo NEW DELHI: Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday condemned the recent remarks made by Congress leaders on President Droupadi Murmu ’s address at the Budget Session. Referring to Sonia Gandhi 's "looked very tired, poor thing" remark, The Rashtrapati Bhavan said comments were "in poor taste" and "hurt the dignity of the high office". Sonia Gandhi had made a remark about President Murmu, referring to her as a "poor thing" while discussing her parliamentary address.
The BJP criticised this as a "derogatory comment" and sought an apology. In response, Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a statement saying that the statement "clearly hurt the dignity of the high office, and therefore are unacceptable." It reaffirmed that the President’s speech reflected the government’s commitment to inclusive development, national security, and economic growth.
It further clarified that the President was not tired at any point during her speech and highlighted her commitment to advocating for marginalised communities, women, and farmers. The release also suggested that the critics might have misinterpreted the President's delivery due to unfamiliarity with the idiom and discourse in Indian languages such as Hindi. The press release concluded by labeling the comments as "in poor taste, unfortunate and entirely avoidable.
" This comes after prominent leaders of the Congress party, including Sonia Gandhi, commented on the President's delivery, suggesting that she appeared fatigued by the conclusion of her address. Sonia said that the President "could hardly speak, poor thing." "The President was getting very tired by the end.
..She could hardly speak, poor thing," Sonia Gandhi told reporters.
Her reaction to the President's address stoked a controversy. In a separate critique, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "It is really funny. If you compare the speech from 2024 and today's speech, all are equal.
It has been proved that nothing new has been done by Narendra Modi in the last one year. They are talking about the development of the Northeast, but have the PM, the President, or the Vice President ever gone there? No one has gone to Manipur to save the state. I am really frustrated with this speech.
Nothing has been said on what will be done in the next one year. Depressing!" Priyanka Gandhi defends Sonia Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit back at the BJP for criticizing Sonia, accusing the ruling party and the media of twisting her words. Speaking to reporters, Priyanka said, “My mother is a 70-80-year-old lady.
She simply said that the President read such a long speech and must have been tired, poor thing. She fully respects the President of India. It is very unfortunate that this has been twisted.
” Dismissing the BJP’s criticism, Priyanka fired back, “They should first apologise for ruining the country before demanding an apology from my mother.” President Murmu's address opens Budget Session President inaugurated the Budget Session on Friday, emphasizing the government's commitment to all-round development. She reiterated that India has a singular goal—to become a Viksit Bharat (developed India)—and the government is adopting a "saturation approach" to ensure no one is left behind.
"My government is working with the Saturation Approach so that nobody is left in the journey of Viksit Bharat...
We have only one aim: to become Viksit Bharat," Murmu said. Praising India's growing self-reliance in defense, the President noted that Made in India defense products are gaining global recognition. "From Make in India, we have moved to Make for the World," she said, highlighting efforts to strengthen national security and border protection.
Murmu also celebrated the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway project, which connects India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari by rail. She pointed out that India's metro network has surpassed 1,000 kilometers, making it the world's third-largest. On the Northeast's development, she mentioned the first Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav to showcase the region’s potential.
In healthcare, she noted the establishment of 1.75 lakh Arogya Mandirs and the waiver of customs duties on certain cancer medicines. Addressing technological challenges, Murmu stressed the government's focus on cybersecurity, warning that digital fraud, cybercrime, and deepfake technology pose significant threats.
She highlighted India's Tier 1 status in the Global Cyber Security Index and the country's infrastructure advancements over the past decade. The President also commended the Finance Ministry’s efforts in supporting businesses, citing the Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs and e-commerce export hubs. She concluded by acknowledging the success of India's UPI (Unified Payment Interface) system.
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