How it happened: Sonia Gandhi & Smriti Irani's heated off-camera Parliament faceoff

A dramatic face-off took place in Parliament on Thursday as a war of words erupted between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union Minister Smriti Irani after Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury passed a sexist remark on President Droupadi Murmu and called her "Rashtrapatni". A sharp exchange took place between Gandhi and Irani during the break in the Lok Sabha which was adjourned following loud protests by BJP MPs against Congress leaders for sanctioning the humiliation of the President. 

Smriti Irani while launching an attack on Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha accused Congress leaders of repeatedly insulting the first Tribal women President of India, Droupadi Murmu. Speaking in the Parliament, the Union minister said that the Opposition is leaving no stone unturned to disrespect the President since her candidature was announced. 

"Congress cannot digest the honour for a tribal woman. The party is unable to digest the fact that a girl coming from a poor family can become the President of the country," said Smriti Irani in Lok Sabha. 

Raising the issue in Parliament, Smriti Irani asked the Congress president to apologise. "Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji approved the humiliation of a woman holding the highest constitutional post. Apologise to the Nation. Sonia Gandhi apologise to the tribal, poor and woman of the country," she added in a fiery address. 

Sonia Gandhi loses her cool at Smriti Irani

In response to the loud sloganeering and protests by the BJP MPs, the Lower House was adjourned. It was then that Sonia Gandhi allegedly walked towards the protesting BJP MPs with two of her party MPs. However, she suddenly turned to Rama Devi, who chaired the session, to talk about the sexist comment by the Leader of the Opposition. 

Sonia Gandhi, while speaking with Rama Devi, was allegedly heard saying, "Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had already apologised. Why am I being dragged into this?" Her statement soon grabbed Irani's attention making her intervene saying, "Madam, may I help you? I took your name." To this intervention, Sonia Gandhi asked the Union minister to not talk to her. "Don't talk to me," Gandhi said. 

Here's the excerpt from the heated conversation, as per sources: 

Sonia Gandhi: Don't talk to me.

Smriti Irani: Why should I keep mum? 

Sonia: You (BJP) cannot name me.

Smriti Irani: Why should not we (name you)?

Following the interaction between the two leaders, BJP MPs claimed that Sonia Gandhi replied to Irani with a lot of aggression. Republic TV while talking to a BJP MP was told that Sonia Gandhi was quite aggressive and harsh while talking to Smriti Irani, she even waved her finger at Smriti Irani and said 'you don't talk to me'.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's reaction

While the Leader of Opposition's comment on the President has snowballed into a fiery argument between Smriti Irani and his party president Sonia Gandhi, he has sought time from President Murmu to apologise for his sexist remark. "I will not apologise to these Pakhandis (calling BJP MPs Hypocrites). I will apologise to the President," he added.

Earlier, Chowdhury attempted to clarify his remarks, saying, "I had used the term "Rashtrapatni" for President Murmu by mistake and the ruling party is deliberately trying to make a mountain out of a molehill."