A tweet by Congress leader Udit Raj stating that President Droupadi Murmu was indulging in “sycophancy” by claiming in her speech in Gujarat that most Indians consumed salt produced in the State triggered a political storm on Thursday.
While the BJP accused the Congress of having an ‘anti-tribal’ mindset, Mr. Raj defended himself by asserting that his comments were made as a Dalit and not as a Congress leader.
Terming the comments made by Mr. Raj “extremely condemnable and shameful,” the National Commission for Women (NCW) sent a notice to the Congress leader to appear in person on October 10 for a hearing.
Pradhan’s tweet
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted, “Congress and their leaders are a disgrace. Champions of Parivaar-vaad they cannot digest the fact that a woman from the grassroots has risen to the ranks of the President of India. Repeated insults to the highest and most-valued office of the country shows their frustration”.
He added that Mr. Raj’s comment has again hurt the country, especially “the pride of tribals, women and people at the bottom of the pyramid”.
“Such leaders should rise above family worship and show respect to the President of India,” added Mr. Pradhan.
At a function recently, President Murmu noted that Gujarat manufactures 76% of salt produced in the country and said, ”It can be said all countrymen eat Gujarat’s salt”.
On Wednesday, reacting to the speech, Mr. Raj tweeted, ”No country should get a president like Droupadi Murmu. This is height of sycophancy. She says 70 per cent of people eat Gujarat’s salt. Spend your life eating salt, then you will know the truth”.
Defending himself, Mr. Raj said, “I did not ask this from the President of India but from a representative of tribal and Dalit. And it has nothing to do with the Congress or any political party. I asked why is she silent on Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) issues, on privatisation, reservation and so many things that pass through her….This communication is between us; I am a SC/ST representative and she is also a representative of SC/ST”.
Mr. Raj, who had won a Lok Sabha seat from Delhi on a BJP ticket in 2014, had joined the Congress in April 2019 after being denied a ticket by the BJP.
“It is a matter of surprise and pain that Congress leaders are regularly using such undignified expressions. This exposes the party’s anti-tribal mindset. The Congress should apologise,” said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra.
