For several years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with the “Yuvraj” jibe. It was a dig at the elitist Gandhi family which has always considered leaders across rank and file as subordinate to them. While quitting the grand old party, several disgruntled young ‘Turks’ had also hinted that there is an unsaid glass ceiling in the Congress party that the entire leadership is subservient to the Gandhi family. Incidentally, the recent controversy involving Sonia Gandhi has once again brought the contentious Congressi culture to the forefront.
The best example of the elitist Congress culture is the recurrent incidents where Congress leaders and their lackeys have insulted and mocked the President of India, even not honouring the highest political office in the Indian Republic.
Redux of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury episode: Sonia Gandhi insults President Droupadi Murmu, calls her “poor lady”
Looking down on the general public, leaders who have toiled hard to make their careers and the opponent has been the notoriety of the Gandhi family. The patronising and condescending attitude is often reflected in not just the mannerism of the Gandhi family but also by the way others conduct themselves around the “first family”. Be it the case of Rahul Gandhi tearing an ordinance of the Union Cabinet or Sonia Gandhi trivialising the authority of Manmohan Singh through an unconstitutional body, National Advisory Council (NAC). However, the current article will lay a laser focus on the way Congress leaders have demeaned the highest political office to cast the Gandhi family as the righteous rulers of the country.
On the very first day of the Budget Session 2025, Congress stalwart and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi used insulting and condescending remarks for President Droupadi Murmu.
Notably, the fresh controversy erupted when Sonia Gandhi was reacting to President Murmu’s speech to kick start the Budget Session. Speaking with reporters outside the Parliament building, Sonia Gandhi said, “The poor lady, the President, was getting tired at the end.”
The Congress MP further added, “She (President) could hardly speak, poor thing.” She was accompanied by her son and daughter, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. In another clip, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi could be heard describing the President’s address as “boring”.
Incidentally, several Congress leaders over the years have not digested the fact that a leader who hails from the Tribal community and rose from humble ground went on to become the President of the Indian Republic. Often, they besmirch the reputation of the President’s office by trivialising Droupadi Murmu and her past successor as “rubber stamps”.
Nonetheless, Sonia Gandhi expressing “pity” for President Murmu is nothing but a redux of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s episode where he demeaned the President’s office. Strikingly, in July 2022, the Congress Lok Sabha MP Chowdhury had used the “Rashtrapatni” remark while talking to reporters. However, after facing massive outrage, he tendered a written apology to President Murmu.
It is often wrongly assumed that partisan politics might be at play here and by that logic the NDA supported President candidates might be the only ones that irk the sycophants of the Gandhi family. However, a glaring example of Congress culture was noticed when a Rajasthan minister made unsavoury remarks about President Pratibha Patil.
Minister of State for Panchayati Raj and Waqf Amin Khan had stated that Patil was rewarded with the country’s top post because she “used to cook and wash utensils” for former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after she lost the elections in 1977, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Furthermore, there are plethora of instances where the Congressi leaders have insulted non-Gandhi party president or seniormost party leader, be it Pranab Mukherjee, Sita Ram Kesari, PV NarsimhaRao, at the altar of sycophancy for the Gandhi family, thus exhibiting the classist and elitist Congressi culture.
