The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday took note of Congress Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remarks about President Draupadi Murmu as “Rashtrapatni”.
The commission issued notice to Choudhary and asked him to appear on August 3. The NCW has also asked the Congress MP to give a written explanation of the remarks.
Meanwhile, police in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district filed a complaint against Choudhary for making objectionable remarks against the President based on a complaint by BJP workers.
On Thursday, the NCW, along with all other state women’s commissions, issued a strong statement against the Congress leader’s remarks, calling them “objectionable’’. Chairpersons and members of the state women’s commissions of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Telangana, Tripura, Odisha, Maharashtra, Manipur and Rajasthan issued a joint statement with the NCW and called it an “attempt to humiliate the President”.
“His (Chowdhary’s) words are highly derogatory, sexist and seek to humiliate the Hon’ble President. We call upon all right-minded people to condemn his words in the strongest possible terms,” the commission said in a joint statement.
The commission has also asked Congress President Sonia Gandhi to “intervene in the matter and take appropriate action against Choudhary for her derogatory remarks”.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district, an FIR was registered against Choudhary at Kotwali police station under IPC sections 153 (b) (allegations, claims prejudicial to national integration) and 505 (a) (statements to public mischief).
Dindori Additional Superintendent of Police Jagannath Markam said, “An FIR has been registered against Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury based on a complaint by BJP workers demanding action.”
In a statement, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “It is disrespectful to a woman who belongs to a tribal community and holds the highest constitutional post in the country.”
