'Nobody knows what really happened': NCP's Supriya Sule on Sonia Gandhi-Smriti Irani spat
New Delhi/IBNS: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule, who along with other MPs led away Congress's Sonia Gandhi on Thursday after her heated exchange with Union Minister Smriti Irani, said she had arrived late on the scene and was unaware of what transpired between the two leaders.
Speaking to reporters, Sule said: "Smriti Irani said Sonia Gandhi threatened her? To be honest, I went much later, I was not there when this whole thing happened. When I went Sonia-ji was not talking to anyone. A lot of MPs were there. Lots of commotion. Emotions were running high."
"Sonia-ji mentioned to me that she went to speak to Rama Devi and she had a chat and then there was too much commotion. So nobody really knows what happened," she added.
While there are multiple versions of the incident, many claimed that Congress President Sonia Gandhi rebuffed Union minister Smriti Irani's attempt to talk to her as she approached a woman BJP MP.
The dramatic confrontation emerged amid a stir in Lok Sabha over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury calling President Droupadi Murmu 'Rashtrapatni'.
The House was adjourned as BJP MPs clamoured for an apology by Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury over the latter's remark and demonstrated inside the Parliament with placards.
"Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji sanctioned humiliation of a woman in the highest constitutional post," the Union Minister said.
After the House was adjourned, Sonia Gandhi was about to leave but suddenly changed her course and approached BJP MP Rama Devi, crossing the floor.
Sonia Gandhi confronted Rama Devi about why she was being accused when Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had already apologised.
"Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had already apologised. What is my fault?" the Congress leader asked.
This is when, Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani cut in and said, "Madam, may I help you? I took your name."
To which, Sonia Gandhi retorted: "Don't talk to me."
#WATCH | Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened when Sonia Gandhi came up to our senior leader Rama Devi to find out what was happening during which, one of our members approached there & she (Sonia Gandhi) said "You don't talk to me": Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/WxFnT2LTvk
— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2022
According to media reports, a Congress leader claimed Sonia Gandhi was having a polite conversation with Rama Devi when Smriti Irani came with pointed fingers and said, "How dare you, don't behave like this, this is not your party office..."
The Congress leader said Sonia Gandhi told Smriti Irani twice, "I am not talking to you"
After which, the BJP leaders surrounded and heckled Sonia Gandhi and the situation turned volatile, claim Congress leaders.
Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Aparupa Poddar and NCP's Supriya Sule were seen drawing Sonia Gandhi away from the shouting BJP members, said media reports.
Was in Lok Sabha when 75 year old lady senior leader encircled & heckled pack-wolf style when all she did was walk over & speak (masked) to another senior lady panel chairperson.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 28, 2022
Disgusted to read BJP lies & false version in press.
Supriya Sule said she had walked up to Sonia Gandhi and "requested her this exchange is not going anywhere. She was very gracious. Sonia-ji and I left and I went and dropped her to her car".
"Parliament is sacrosanct and I think none of us should mislead anybody. All of us come here to work. Each one of us who is a member, is responsible for keeping the dignity of this temple of democracy," she added.
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