The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday termed remarks made by senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi about President Droupadi Murmu’s address to Parliament as "unfortunate and entirely avoidable." It stated that the comments were "in poor taste" and undermined the dignity of the high office, triggering a fresh political clash between the BJP and Congress.

Earlier in the day, President Murmu delivered a joint address to both Houses of Parliament, marking the beginning of the Budget Session. Following the session, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi told reporters that the President seemed exhausted by the end of her speech.

"The President looked very tired towards the end. She could hardly speak, poor thing," said Mrs. Gandhi, flanked by her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, both Members of Parliament.

The BJP swiftly condemned the remarks, calling them derogatory and demanding an apology from the Congress.

In response, Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a statement refuting the claim. "Nothing could be farther from the truth. The President was not tired at any point. In fact, she firmly believes that speaking for marginalized communities, women, and farmers—topics she addressed in her speech—can never be tiring," the statement read.

The President’s office also suggested that the Congress leaders may have misunderstood the tone and language of the address. "Perhaps these leaders are unfamiliar with Indian linguistic idioms, leading to a misinterpretation. However, such remarks are in poor taste, unfortunate, and should have been avoided. Comments from certain Congress leaders have clearly undermined the dignity of the high office, making them unacceptable," it added.

BJP President JP Nadda slammed the remarks, stating that the use of phrases like "poor thing" reflected the Congress party’s elitist, anti-poor, and anti-tribal mindset.

A brief exchange between Rahul Gandhi and his mother was also caught on camera, where he was heard suggesting words like "boring" and "repeating the same thing" while discussing the President’s speech.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also denounced the comments, emphasizing that President Murmu, as a tribal woman, has made significant contributions to the country. "I strongly condemn these remarks. Our President is not weak. Droupadi Murmu has dedicated herself to the country and society in ways these leaders cannot even comprehend. They must apologize to her," Rijiju said.

In her address, President Murmu highlighted the government's efforts to steer the economy out of "policy paralysis" despite challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and global conflicts.