'Rashtrapatni' row: Ex-women officials seek action against Chowdhury

01-08-2022 Mon 21:50 | National | IANS

New Delhi, Aug 1: A group of former women officials on Monday wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding action against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury over his controversial remarks in which he referred President Droupadi Murmu as "Rashtrapatni".

"Adhir Ranjan Choudhary deserves to be punished by the courts for this deliberate sexist insult to the respected female President of the India, he should also be made to publicly apologise to all Indian women," submitted the group consisting of as many as 51 former women public servants, intellectuals and academicians.

The group stated "his offence is punishable under Sections 354 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)".

"MPs belonging to different political parties have demanded an unconditional apology for demeaning the President, who is the first tribal lady and also from a poor family to get elected as the President of India. From calling Mrs. Murmu a 'puppet' and a 'symbol of evil', the Congress has been 'maliciously' attacking the President ever since she was fielded as an NDA nominee for the presidential elections," the letter stated.

It further said the offence becomes much graver because it is against the Head of State.

While Choudhary deserves to be punished by the courts for this deliberate sexist insult to the respected female President of the country, he should also be made to publicly apologise to all Indian women, they submitted.

"It needs to be noted that the NCW and 13 State Commissions for women have issued a joint statement, saying Chowdhury's remark was deeply insulting, sexist and constituted an attempt to humiliate the President of India," it noted.

The letter also highlighted the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, wherein the purpose of the Act was to prevent atrocities and help in social inclusion of weaker section into society.

"Clearly Adhir Ranjan Choudhary has insulted and humiliated Droupadi Murmu, India's first President from the tribal community, in full public view," it added.