'Chamchagiri ki bhi haddh ho gayi': Congress leader sparks controversy with tweet on President Murmu

Earlier this week, President Droupadi Murmu had stated that Gujarat manufactures 76 per cent of the country's salt and that "it can be said the salt produced in Gujarat is consumed by all Indians".

New Delhi: Congress leader Udit Raj on Wednesday (October 5, 2022) courted controversy after he accused President Droupadi Murmu of indulging in "chamchagiri". Taking to his official Twitter account, the Chairman of the Unorganized Workers & Employees Congress also said that "no country should get a President like Droupadi Murmu".

"No country should get a President like Droupadi Murmu ji. 'Chamchagiri' also has its limits. She says 70 per cent of the people eat Gujarat's salt. She will get to know once she starts living by consuming salt only," Udit Raj said in a tweet in Hindi.

द्रौपदी मुर्मू जी जैसा राष्ट्रपति किसी देश को न मिले। चमचागिरी की भी हद्द है । कहती हैं 70% लोग गुजरात का नमक खाते हैं । खुद नमक खाकर ज़िंदगी जिएँ तो पता लगेगा।

— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) October 5, 2022

Earlier this week, President Murmu had noted in a civic reception hosted by the Government of Gujarat in her honour that the state produces 76 per cent of the country's salt and added on a lighter that "the salt produced in Gujarat is consumed by all Indians".

After backlash over his tweet, Udit Raj said on Thursday that his statement on Droupadi Murmuji is his personal view and has nothing to do with Congress.

"My statement as regard to Droupadi Murmuji is mine & nothing to do with Congress. Her candidature & campaign were in the name adivasi, it doesn’t mean she is no longer adivasi. My heart cries that when SC/ST reach to higher position, they ditch their communities & become mum," he added.

My statement as regard to Draupadi Murmuji is mine & nothing to do with Congress.Her candidature & campaign were in the name adivasi, it doesn’t mean she is no longer adivasi. My heart cries that when SC/ST reach to higher position, they ditch their communities & become mum.

— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) October 6, 2022

'Anti-tribal mindset': BJP slams Congress over Udit Raj's remarks on Droupadi Murmu 

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed Udit Raj for his remarks on President Murmu and said that it showed the Congress party's "anti-tribal mindset". BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the kind of words Udit Raj has used for the President are "indecent, sad, and worrying". 

"It is surprising and saddening how Congress is regularly using disrespectful words for the President of India who has struggled enough to reach the topmost position of the country and it shows their mentality," Patra said, adding that it "exposes their anti-tribal mindset".

He also sought an apology from the party as to why they have "such psychology" for the country's first tribal president.

Words used for President Murmu by Congress leader Udit Raj worrisome, unfortunate. This isn't the 1st time they've used such words. Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury did it too. This reflects their anti-tribal mindset: BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Udit Raj's tweet pic.twitter.com/pWgi2L7zDA

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2022

BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla also took a jibe at the party and asked if Congress endorsed such behaviour. He said this was the real "Chaal Charitra Chehara" of Congress which has time and again insulted India's first woman Adivasi President.

Recounting how Congress leader Ajoy Kumar had labelled Murmu ji as one having an "evil mindset" and how Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary called her "Rashtrapatni", Poonawalla said that if Congress was against this language of calling the highest constitutional post holder a "chamcha", would they sack Udit Raj and would Rahul and Sonia Gandhi condemn this statement.

"It is unlikely that they would (condemn it) as such statements are applauded by the first family which ensured the defeat of Babasaheb Ambedkar twice and ensured that Bhagwan Birsa Munda never got his due," Poonawalla added.

After Ajoy Kumar called President Draupadi Murmu as evil & then Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary used the term “Rashtrapatni” now Congress stoops to a new low! Udit Raj uses unacceptable language for the 1st woman Adivasi President!

Does the Congress endorse this insult of Adviasi samaj pic.twitter.com/W0owoqxYHu

— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) October 6, 2022

He also accused Congress of having "deep-seated hatred for Adivasis and Dalits" and said, "Droupadi Murmu ji rose up through sheer hard work and commitment despite her challenging socio-economic circumstances and became a people`s President but Congress cannot accept this."

(With agency inputs)