Congress Leader's Remark Brings Fresh Embarrassment To The Party

New Delhi: Congress party faced yet another embarrassment after its leader and former M.P Udit Raj made derogatory remarks against President Droupadi Murmu. The party leader stirred controversy on Wednesday after tweeting "no country should get such a President" against President Murmu.

Shortly after issuing a derogatory comment, political leaders condemned Udit Raj's tweet saying that the Congress party has an anti-tribal mindset. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shehzad Poonawalla came down heavily against Udit Raj and said that the latest remark puts the Congress party to a new low.

The Congress leader on Wednesday tweeted, "No country should get a President like Draupadi Murmu. Sycophancy (Chamchagiri) also has its limits. It is said that 70% of people eat salt from Gujarat. If you live life by eating salt yourself, you will know."

To this, several BJP leaders, including Poonawala, to slam Congress leader and the party itself for issuing controversial statements. Prior to Udit Raj, two other Congress leaders, Ajoy Kumar and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, also made objectionable remarks against Murmu. Poonawala has accused the party of carrying an anti-tribal mindset after repeated offences by its party leaders against the President.

The Congress leader, in an attempt to defend his party, said that his views expressed were personal and not of his party. On Thursday, the National Commission for Women summoned the Congress leader over his "sycophancy" remark against the President. The commission has asked him to appear before it on October 10 and explain his "extremely condemnable and shameful" comments. The commission has also asked Udit Raj to issue an apology.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra stated, "Words used for President Murmu by Congress leader Udit Raj are worrisome, unfortunate. This isn't the 1st time they've used such words. Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury did it too. This reflects their anti-tribal mindset."

On Thursday, a day after issuing the controversial remark, Udit Raj tweeted, "My statement as regard to Draupadi Murmuji is mine & nothing to do with Congress. Her candidature & campaign were in the name adivasi, it doesn't mean she is no longer Adivasi. My heart cries that when SC/ST reach to higher position, they ditch their communities & become mum."