Sonia Gandhi must apologise for Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark on President: BJP spokesperson Patra

Shimla: BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Thursday said Congress president Sonia Gandhi must apologise to the nation over party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's "derogatory" remark against President Droupadi Murmu.

BJP members stalled both house of Parliament on Thursday as they protested against Chowdhury, the party's top leader in Lok Sabha, for calling calling Murmu "rashtrapatni". They too sought an apology from the Congress president over Chowdhury's remark.

Sonia Gandhi has appointed Chowdhury as the leader in Lok Sabha to speak and he has made a "derogatory" remark against President Murmu. Therefore, the Congress chief must apologise to the nation, Patra told reporters here.

Reacting to Congress' stand that Chowdhury has already apologised for the comment, Patra said the MP needs to be "punished" for demeaning the country's highest constitutional post.