Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark shameful, Cong should apologise: Mayawati

Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday said Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referring to President Droupadi Murmu as 'rashtrapatni' is "most shameful and condemnable", and demanded that his party apologise for his remark.

Mayawati also asked the Congress to shun its "casteist mindset".

Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, referred to Murmu as 'rashtrapatni' while talking to the media during his party's protests over a host of issues.

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed protests by BJP members against Chowdhury's remark and were adjourned twice amid the uproar.

"The spectacular election of Droupadi Murmuji as the first woman from the tribal society to the highest post of the President of India has not been liked by many... the objectionable remark made against her by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, is very sad, shameful and highly condemnable," Mayawati said in a tweet.

"The proceedings of Parliament have also been disrupted today due to protests against him referring to the honourable President as 'rashtrapatni' on TV... the Congress party should also apologise to the country for this and abandon its casteist mindset," she said.

Lok Sabha was adjourned till 4 pm and Rajya Sabha till 3 pm on Thursday amid noisy scenes as BJP members strongly protested against Chowdhury's remark on Murmu.

The Congress leader told reporters outside Parliament that referring to Murmu as 'rashtrapatni' was a "slip of the tongue" and accused the BJP of making a "mountain out of a molehill" over the issue.

The president is called 'rashtrapati' in Hindi.