'Shahi parivar' of Congress insulted president, never liked poor, marginalised, should apologise: PM

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress on Friday, accusing its "shahi parivar" of insulting President Droupadi Murmu, who hails from a tribal background, and demanding an apology.

In a direct response to Congress leaders' purported remarks on Murmu over her address to a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on Friday, Modi, at a rally at Dwarka, said, "These Congress people think they are the masters of the country. The arrogance of the Congress's royal family has once again been exposed." "Today, our president, Droupadi Murmuji, addressed Parliament. She spoke about the country's achievements and the vision for a developed India. Coming from a tribal family in Odisha, she rose from the tribal region to represent the nation. Despite not speaking Hindi as her mother tongue, but Odia, she delivered an inspiring speech in Parliament," the prime minister added.

He alleged that the Congress members belittled Murmu with their remarks on her speech.

"The royal family of the Congress stooped to a new low. One member called her speech boring and another went further, calling her poor thing and tired. This is an insult to the 10 crore tribal brothers and sisters of this country. This is an insult to every poor person who rises from the ground. The Congress's shahi parivar never likes them and insults them," Modi said.

He also accused the Congress of always undermining the progress of marginalised communities.

The "royal family" of the Congress does not accept anyone from the Dalit, Adivasi and OBC (Other Backward Classes) communities who rise above their circumstances, the prime minister alleged, adding that it insults them at every step.

He also accused the Congress of dismissing the president's speech, in which she praised India's economic progress, farmer welfare, metro projects and sports personalities. The Congress found even that boring, he said.

"The Congress's shahi parivar has insulted the honourable president of India. For this, it should immediately apologise to the president and also to our poor brothers and sisters, the SC, ST and OBC communities," Modi later said in a post in Hindi on X.

Soon after the president delivered her address, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were seen discussing the speech in the Parliament complex.

"The poor lady, the president, was getting very tired by the end.... She could hardly speak, poor thing," Sonia Gandhi was purportedly heard saying in a video clip doing the rounds of social media. PTI SKC UZM RC

Source: PTI