Cong 'shahi parivar' insulted Prez, never liked poor, marginalised: PM Modi

Sonia Gandhi was purportedly heard saying in a video, "The poor lady, the President, was getting very tired by the end... she could hardly speak, poor thing"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing its "shahi parivar" of insulting President Droupadi Murmu, who hails from a tribal background.

In a direct response to Congress leaders' purported remarks on Murmu over her Friday speech, Modi, at a public meeting in Dwarka, said, "These Congress people think they are the masters of the country. The arrogance of the Congress royal family has once again been exposed." 

  He added, "Today, our common President, Droupadi Murmu ji, addressed Parliament. She spoke about the achievements of the nation and the vision for a developed India. Coming from a tribal family in Odisha, she rose from the tribal region to represent the nation. Despite not speaking Hindi as her mother tongue, but Odia, she delivered an inspiring speech to Parliament."  Modi alleged that the Congress members belittled Murmu with their remarks on her speech.

"The royal family of Congress stooped to a new low. One member called her speech 'boring' and another went further, calling her 'poor' and 'tired'. This is an insult to the ten crore tribal brothers and sisters of this country. This is an insult to every poor person who rises from the ground," he said.

The Prime Minister also alleged that the Congress had always undermined the progress of the marginalised communities.

"The Congress royal family does not accept anyone from the Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC communities who rise above their circumstances. They insult them at every step," he said.

He also accused the Congress of dismissing the President's speech, in which she praised India's economic progress, farmer welfare, the metro projects, and the sportspeople. "Congress found even that boring."  As it happened, soon after the President delivered her address to a joint sitting of Parliament, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were seen discussing the speech in the Parliament complex.

"The poor lady, the President, was getting very tired by the end... she could hardly speak, poor thing," Sonia Gandhi was purportedly heard saying in a video doing the rounds on social media.