New Delhi: In a dramatic turn of events, Congress president Sonia Gandhi snubbed senior BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani during a break in Lok Sabha. According to sources, Gandhi walked to the BJP benches to speak to women BJP MPs.
They further revealed when Sonia asked BJP MP Rama Devi why her name was dragged into Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark on President Draupadi Murmu when Chowdhury has already apologised. "Adhir Ranjan Ranjan Chowdhury has already apologized? Then why am I being dragged into it,?," Sonia asked Rama Devi sources added.
They also said that at that time Irani, who had earlier slammed Sonia over the issue, intervened and told the Congress president "I was one who took your name. May I help you, Madam?" According to sources Sonia snubbed Irani saying "Don't talk to me."
Also read:'If President felt bad, I will apologise': Adhir, BJP continues attack
Speaking to reporters later in the day, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman narrated the incident without directly mentioning Irani. "Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened when Sonia Gandhi came up to our senior leader Rama Devi to find out what was happening during which, one of our members approached there and she (Sonia Gandhi) said - You don't talk to me - putting our MP down in the house. So instead of remorse from the highest leader of the Congress party, we find greater aggression," said Sitharaman.
However, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi alleged that it was the BJP MPs who resorted to rude behavior with Gandhi. "Today, we saw a very shameful behavior towards our leader Sonia Gandhi inside Lok Sabha. Objectionable slogans were raised against her. But being a fearless leader, Sonia Gandhi went to the women MPs, but BJP MPs behaved in a very ill-mannered way," he said.
"The party which raises slogans in the name of women, today they have shown how they have humiliated another woman (Sonia Gandhi). Our leader was humble and polite. If BJP thinks such behavior is going to affect her, it is their mistake," added Gogoi. Earlier, in the day when asked about the issue of Adhir's remark, Gandhi said, "he has already apologized."
