'A man whose Hindi is like mine made a mistake': Shashi Tharoor defends Adhir Chowdhury amid 'rashtrapatni' row

'Rastrapatni' remark row: Shashi Tharoor urged people to let the matter go and claimed that Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury made a mistake.

Pic Credit: File Photo

New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor defended Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in an interaction with the press. He said, "I think we should let the matter go. This is not an issue, it has nothing related to corruption or govt negligence. A man, whose Hindi is perhaps like mine, made a mistake. He accepted it, let's move on. There are far graver issues in the country.

He also stated that Chowdhury made a mistake and he had no bad intention. 

"Before entering Parliament, Adhir said he made a mistake, it was a slip of tongue & he had no bad intention. But he wasn't allowed to speak. When someone seeks time before Ques Hr, Speaker tell them to sit&that they'll get time during Zero Hour," he said.

What is the 'Rashtrapatni' remark row?

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary caught himself in a controversy after he used the term "rashtrapatni" for President Murmu. Later he said that he had used the term "rashtrapatni" by mistake and that the ruling party was deliberately trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.

"I can't even think of insulting the President. It was just a mistake. If the President felt bad, I will personally meet her and apologise. They can hang me if they want. I am ready to get punished but why is she (Sonia Gandhi) being dragged in this?" Chowdhury told ANI on Thursday questioning why the Congress Interim President is being dragged into the controversy.