Adhir has already apologised: Sonia Gandhi on ‘Rashtrapatni’ remarks

Regarding the accusation of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referring to President Droupadi Murmu as "Rashtrapatni", Sonia Gandhi said "Adhir has already apologised," after the BJP today demanded an apology from her. 

Earlier, Union Minister Smriti Irani, demanded an apology from her and said, "Sonia Gandhi sanctioned the humiliation of a woman at the highest constitutional office in the country", reported NDTV.

She also called Sonia "anti-Adivasi, anti-Dalit, and anti-women". 

Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman, also demanded an apology, and called it a "deliberate sexist abuse".

"I demand an apology from the president of the Congress Party who herself is a woman who has allowed her leader to speak like that. Sonia Gandhi should come before the nation and apologise for insulting the president," the minister said in the Lok Sabha.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury explained himself saying it was a mere slip of the tongue and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is "making a mountain out of a molehill". 

He accused the BJP of diverting attention away from important concerns about price increases, GST, the Agnipath scheme, unemployment, and other issues.

Adhir said, "Just once I said 'Rashtrapatni'" in a video statement posted on his Twitter account. 

"Whoever is the president of India, be it Brahmin, or Adivasi, the president is the president for us. Our respect is for the post," he said.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 4pm amid noisy protests by the BJP.