“Don’t talk to me”: Sonia Gandhi, Smriti Irani face off in Indian parliament
India's top opposition leader and Congress Acting President Sonia Gandhi today (July 28, 2022) got involved in a major spat with BJP leaders, including federal minister Smriti Irani, at the Lok Sabha.
Sonia Gandhi reportedly told Irani "don't talk to me" when the latter gestured at and approached the Congress chief to protest a comment made by the opposition party's lawmaker Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
BJP leaders vehemently protested at the Indian parliament today following Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's comment, where he referred to Droupadi Murmu, the country's first tribal President, as "rashtrapatni", triggering an outrage, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
Chowdhury later described the comment as a "slip of tongue" and alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party lawmakers were making a "mountain out of a molehill". However, he drew strong denunciation from BJP leaders at the parliament, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi who demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi.
Sonia Gandhi said her name should not be dragged into the row over Chowdhury's statement.
The verbal spat forced adjournment of the Lok Sabha twice at 12 noon and at 4 pm, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
As the Lok Sabha adjourned soon after 12 noon, Sonia walked across to the treasury benches and sought to know from BJP member Rama Devi why she was being dragged into the issue.
Smriti Irani stepped in and was seen gesturing towards Sonia and apparently protesting against Adhir Chowdhury's remark.
Sonia at first tried to ignore Irani but soon was seen gesturing towards the minister and reacting angrily.
India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman later claimed to the media outside the parliament that Sonia Gandhi told a BJP member in the Lok Sabha chamber "you don't talk to me".
Sitharaman did not name any BJP leader. However, it is speculated that the remark was hurled at Smriti Irani.
Talking to reporters, Rama Devi said that Sonia Gandhi sought to know why her name was dragged into the issue. "What is my fault?" Rama Devi quoted Sonia as saying.
Rama Devi also said she told Sonia that her fault was to have selected Adhir Chowdhury as a Congress leader in the Lok Sabha.
Meanwhile, Sitharaman accused Sonia Gandhi of speaking in a "threatening tone" with BJP members.
"Instead of tendering an apology, she is misleading by claiming that Adhir Chowdhury has already apologised. Instead of an apology, she is resorting to threats," Sitharaman said referring to the incident in the Lok Sabha chamber.
Hitting back at BJP leaders, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Irani's behaviour was "outrageous".
"Atrocious and outrageous behaviour by Union Minister Smriti Irani in the Lok Sabha today! But will she be pulled up by the Speaker? Are rules only meant for the Opposition," Ramesh tweeted.