Rashtrapatni, kiraye ke tattu, and more: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is Congress’ ‘foot-in-mouth’ leader

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is a master of faux pas. The party is firefighting yet again as it finds itself in a new row, courtesy of Chowdhury.

The leader of Congress in Lok Sabha called President Droupadi Murmu “Rashtrapatni” and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not letting it pass, even after Chowdhury said it was a slip of the tongue. During Congress’ protests against Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case, he said, “Yes, we will go to the Rashtrapati. India’s Rashtrapati, no no Rashtrapatni, is for all.”

The comment has snowballed into a massive controversy. Stressing there’s no chance of an apology to the BJP, he said he would personally meet Murmu and apologise to the President “a hundred times” if she says she was hurt by his remark.

However, the BJP and Congress continue to clash over the unsavoury remark. BJP MPs even confronted Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha with slogans being raised against her. Congress is red-faced and Chowdhury is sorry. But he is a serial offender when it comes to putting his foot in his mouth.

We take a look at his rather embarrassing track record.

Tweeting Rajiv Gandhi’s controversial remark

On the death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May, an infographic was posted from Chowdhury’s official handle with a controversial statement attributed to the former prime minister: When a big tree falls, the ground shakes.

Gandhi had remarked at a public gathering after the anti-Sikh riots, in which several Congress leaders are accused. “Jab bhi koi bada ped girta hai, toh dharti thodi hilti hai (Whenever a big tree falls, the earth shakes),” he had said.

The comment, which was seen as “justification” for the pogrom, is something Congress would like to forget. But it continues to haunt the party to this day.

Chowdhury’s tweet was pulled down after the furore and he told Hindustan Times that his account was hacked.

The tweet against my name in the tweeter account has nothing to do with my own observation.

— Adhir Chowdhury (@adhirrcinc) May 21, 2022

Insulting Kapil Sibal

The motormouth minister has in the past even slammed his own party members, questioning dissident leader Kapil Sibal, who was then part of Congress’ G23 group.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, "Kapil Sibal kahan k neta hain mujhe pata nahi. He got many advancements because of the Congress party. Things were good when he was a minister in the UPA govt now when UPA is not in power he is feeling bad." pic.twitter.com/ZWEyzMuPhg

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2022

“Kapil Sibal kahan ke neta hain mujhe pata nahi. He got many advancements because of the Congress party. Things were good when he was a minister in the UPA government now when UPA is not in power he is feeling bad,” he told news agency ANI in March this year.

“He (Sibal) should set an example that he can do something without the support of Congress, fight for his ideology on their own, otherwise what is the outcome of just giving interviews while sitting in an AC room,” he had said.

Article 370 ‘not an internal matter’

The leader kicked up a storm in Lok Sabha in August 2019 when he said that Article 370 was not an internal matter.
Engaged in a heated debate with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chowdhury said, “You say that it is an internal matter. But it is being monitored since 1948 by the UN, is that an internal matter? We signed the Shimla Agreement & Lahore Declaration, was that an internal matter or bilateral?”

#WATCH Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress, in Lok Sabha: You say that it is an internal matter. But it is being monitored since 1948 by the UN, is that an internal matter? We signed Shimla Agreement & Lahore Declaration, what that an internal matter or bilateral? pic.twitter.com/RNyUFTPzca

— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2019

Amid the argument, Sonia Gandhi could sense the trouble coming the party’s way. Visibly uncomfortable, the Congress chief was seen gesturing toward her son and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning Chowdhury’s argument.

Calling Nirmala Sitharaman ‘nirbala’

During a Lok Sabha session in December 2019, Chowdhury targeted Nirmala Sitharaman saying that the finance minister should rather be called “nirbala” (powerless).

“I have a lot of respect for you but at times I feel that instead of calling you Nirmala Sitharaman I should call you ‘Nirbala’ Sitharaman,” Chowdhury said took a jibe at her. “You hold a ministerial post but are you even able to assert yourself (on government policies),” he questioned.

Narendra Modi, Amit Shah are ‘migrants’

In December 2019, when making his displeasure against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, the Congress leader called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah “migrants”.

“I can say that Narendra Modi and Amit Shah Ji are themselves the migrants. Their homes are in Gujarat but they have come to Delhi,” Chowdhury said.

“India is for everyone — for Hindus, for Muslims and for everyone else. They are creating the fear that they will throw out Muslims. They do not have the capability to do that. But what they want to show is Hindus will be allowed to stay, while Muslims will be sent away,” he added.

Calling EU leaders ‘kiraye ke tattu’

Yet another day in Lok Sabha and yet another boo-boo by Chowdhury. He was enraged over the visit of European parliamentarians to Jammu and Kashmir to review the situation after the abrogation of Article 370.

“Aap Europe se kiraye ke tattu ko Kashmir le jaate hain, yeh sansad ke liye apmaan hai. (You bringing in rented sycophants from Europe, it’s a massive disrespect to Indian legislators),” he had said, slamming the Centre for barring Indian MPs from visiting the Valley while facilitating the visit of a delegation from Europe.

Comparing Modi to ‘gandi naali’

While attacking opponents, politicians often stoop too low. In June 2019, the Congress MP from West Bengal compared the prime minister to “gandi naali” while replying to the Motion of Thanks moved by Pratap Singh Sarangi.

While saying there’s no comparison between Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi, Chowdhury remarked, “Kahan maa ganga, kahan gandi naali (one is Mother Ganges, other is a dirty drain).” He also went on to say “don’t compare a monk and a monster.

With inputs from agencies

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