NEW DELHI: Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday expressed its disapproval of the recent comments made by Congress leaders regarding President Droupadi Murmu’s speech during the Budget Session. In light of Sonia Gandhi’s remark that the President “looked very tired, poor thing,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan stated that such comments were “in poor taste” and “undermined the dignity of the high office.”
Sonia Gandhi’s comment suggested that President Murmu appeared as a “poor thing” while discussing her address in Parliament. The BJP condemned this as a “derogatory comment” and demanded an apology.
In its statement, Rashtrapati Bhavan emphasized that the remarks “clearly hurt the dignity of the high office and are, therefore, unacceptable.” It reiterated that the President’s address reflected the government’s commitment to inclusive development, national security, and economic progress. The statement clarifies that at no point during her speech did the President exhibit fatigue, underscoring her dedication to advocating for marginalized communities, women, and farmers.
The press release also suggested that critics might have misinterpreted the President’s delivery due to unfamiliarity with idiomatic expressions and discourse in Indian languages such as Hindi. It concluded by characterizing the remarks as “in poor taste, unfortunate, and entirely avoidable.”
This controversy arose following comments made by notable Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, who indicated that the President seemed fatigued by the end of her address. “The President was getting very tired by the end…She could hardly speak, poor thing,” Sonia Gandhi stated to reporters, sparking a debate.
In a separate critique, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee expressed his dissatisfaction, quipping, “It’s really amusing. If you compare the speech from 2024 to today’s, they are all the same. It has been demonstrated that nothing significant has been accomplished by Narendra Modi in the past year. They talk about the development of the Northeast, but have the PM, President, or Vice President ever visited? No one has gone to Manipur to address the situation. I am genuinely frustrated with this speech. Nothing was said about actions to be taken in the coming year. It’s disheartening!”
President Murmu’s address inaugurated the Budget Session on Friday, reaffirming the government’s commitment to comprehensive development. She reiterated that India has a unified goal—to transform into a Viksit Bharat (developed India)—and articulated that the government is following a “saturation approach” to ensure no one is excluded.
“My government is employing the Saturation Approach so that nobody is left behind in the journey towards Viksit Bharat… Our sole objective is to become a Viksit Bharat,” Murmu asserted.
Highlighting India’s increasing self-reliance in defense, the President noted that indigenous defense products are garnering international acclaim. “From Make in India, we have transitioned to Make for the World,” she remarked, emphasizing efforts to bolster national security and border protection.
Murmu also celebrated the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway project, connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari by rail. She highlighted that India’s metro network has exceeded 1,000 kilometers, making it the third-largest globally.
On the development of the Northeast, she referred to the inaugural Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav, aimed at showcasing the region’s potential. In the healthcare sector, she mentioned the establishment of 1.75 lakh Arogya Mandirs and the removal of customs duties on specific cancer medications.
Addressing the challenges of technology, Murmu underscored the government’s concentration on cybersecurity, cautioning that digital fraud, cybercrime, and deepfake technology present significant threats. She pointed out India’s Tier 1 position in the Global Cyber Security Index, along with the infrastructure advancements achieved over the last decade.
The President acknowledged the Finance Ministry’s initiatives to assist businesses, referencing the Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs and the establishment of e-commerce export hubs. She concluded by recognizing the achievements of India’s UPI (Unified Payment Interface) system.
