Congress & BJP spar over Sonia Gandhi's verbal volley at Smriti Irani; All claims here

Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Congress party, and Union Minister Smriti Irani got into a heated argument on Thursday in Parliament when Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referred to President Droupadi Murmu as "Rashtrapatni" in a misogynistic comment. Gandhi and Irani had a dramatic exchange during the break in the Lok Sabha which was adjourned as a result of vociferous protests by BJP MPs against the sexist remarks.

As the Lok Sabha adjourned after noon, Sonia Gandhi walked across to the Treasury benches and asked BJP member Rama Devi why she had been drawn into the controversy. The BJP has demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's use of the term "Rashtrapatni" to refer to President Droupadi Murmu.

This is when Smriti Irani intervened. Both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have shared their accounts of the confrontation between Sonia Gandhi and Smriti Irani.

Congress claims Sonia said she's not talking to Smriti 'politely'

"When Sonia Gandhi was talking to Rama Devi, Smriti Irani surrounded Sonia Gandhi and said abusive words in a very derogatory tone," the party said.

The grand old party claimed that Sonia Gandhi told Irani 'politely' that she is not taking to her but another MP.

"What is this behaviour? Can one MP cannot talk to another MP. Irani could have kept her point politically. Why she is behaving in a "heckling" manner with a senior MP and party chief?" Congress asked.

BJP's version 

When Sonia Gandhi was talking to Rama Devi, Smriti Irani intervened and said, "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. 

According to top BJP sources, Sonia further used threatening language and told Irani, "Don't your dare talk to me".

Earlier, Smriti Irani said President Droupadi Murmu has become a target of the Congress' hatred. "Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remark is anti-Adivasi, anti-poor and anti-woman," she said.

Targeting Sonia Gandhi, Smriti Irani alleged that the Congress chief "sanctioned humiliation" of a poor tribal woman who has occupied the highest constitutional post in the country.

"Sonia Gandhi, maafi maango (Sonia Gandhi, apologise). Your male leaders are disrespecting a poor tribal woman," the minister said.