Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs have filed a notice for a “Breach of Parliamentary Privilege, Ethics, and Propriety” against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Monday, February 3 accusing her of using derogatory language against President Droupadi Murmu.

In a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, the BJP MPs expressed deep concern over the “unparliamentary, derogatory, and demeaning remarks” made by Sonia Gandhi against the President of India. They urged that the comments be given serious consideration and called for disciplinary action.

The MPs told the chairman that the statement was a “clear manifestation of an elitist and anti-tribal mindset of” Sonia Gandhi, who they claimed “is yet to understand the struggle and sensitivity of a tribal poor”.

“Given the gravity of this issue, we humbly urge you to take cognizance of this matter and initiate appropriate disciplinary action against Sonia Gandhi,” wrote MPs in the letter shared by ANI.

What did Sonia Gandhi say?

In what began as an informal conversation with her children outside the Parliament House, in front of the media on January 31, Sonia Gandhi’s statement on the President’s hour-long address to Parliament has now snowballed into a massive row with the Rashtrapati Bhavan issuing a statement against it.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s “poor thing and very tired” remarks about President Droupadi Murmu came after the latter’s hour-long address to Parliament, with the Rashtrapati Bhavan saying they were in “poor taste, unfortunate and unacceptable.”

Congress leaders’ comments on President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the Parliament are in poor taste, unfortunate and entirely avoidable, said the Rashtrapati Bhavan. In a statement, the President’s office said such comments hurt the dignity of the high office and therefore are “unacceptable”.

Responding to Sonia Gandhi’s statement and Priyanka Gandhi said, “My mother is a 78-year-old lady, she simply said that the President must have been tired reading such a long speech, poor thing… I don’t think she… I think she has utmost respect for her (President). I think it’s very unfortunate that this kind of thing has twisted by the media. They are both respected people, they are older than us; it’s pretty clear that she means no disrespect.”