'Rashtrapatni' row: Congress' Manish Tewari downplays the 'gender' issue; Trinamool attacks BJP

NEW DELHI: Amid a row over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's "rashtrapatni" remark, Congress leader Manish Tewari Friday said anyone occupying a constitutional office is equally honourable and there is no point in "getting lost in the maze of gender".

A major political row broke out on Thursday over the 'rashtrapatni' remark by the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha with the BJP launching an all-out offensive against the opposition party.

The ruling party accused Chowdhury of hurling a "deliberate sexist insult" at President Droupadi Murmu and demanded an apology from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

In his defence, Chowdhury, who is the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said he never intended to disrespect the President and his 'rashtrapatni' remark was a "slip of the tongue".

Accusing the BJP of making a "mountain out of a molehill" over the issue, he had said he will apologise to President Murmu but not to "these pakhandis" (hypocrites).

Amid the brouhaha, Congress' Anandpur Sahib MP Tewari, posted a cryptic tweet in which he asserted that there is no point in getting lost in the maze of gender.

"Lady or gentleman, anyone occupying a constitutional office is equally Hon'ble. Respect has to be given & should be accorded to that institution," Tewari said.

"Any person on a particular position becomes analogous to or with that office. No point in getting lost in the maze of gender," the former Union minister said.

The TMC on Friday targeted the Centre over the issue of women safety citing a case of a Gujarat BJP MLA allegedly raping a woman, a day after the BJP accused the Congress of hurling a "deliberate sexist insult" at President Droupadi Murmu.

Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Friday amid uproar over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark.

"Dear PM @narendramodi and @AmitShah. Look forward to seeing you both Monday morning #ParliamentMonsoonSession. Since you are ever so eager to raise issues of Oppn disrespecting #women All of us will be waiting. 11am Monday. See you then. P. S. If 56 inch can't come, send #2," tweeted TMC RS MP Derek O'Brien.

He also attached a news report about police investigating allegations of rape and illegal confinement of a woman against Gujarat's Rural Development Minister and BJP MLA from Mahmedavad Arjunsinh Chauhan.

The TMC, in its official Twitter handle, too raised the issue of women safety referring to the same allegations.

"BJP Cabinet Minister and MLA @iarjunsinhbjp from Gujarat allegedly RAPED and ILLEGALLY CONFINED a woman. PM @narendramodi, where are your tall claims of successfully ensuring women's safety, now? This is happening in your own home turf! #ShameOnBJP," it tweeted.

A major political row broke out on Thursday over Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark with the BJP launching an all-out offensive against the opposition party, accusing Chowdhury of hurling a "deliberate sexist insult" at President Murmu and demanding an apology from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

In his defence, Chowdhury, who is the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said he never intended to disrespect the President and that his 'rashtrapatni' remark was a "slip of the tongue".

NEW DELHI: Amid a row over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's "rashtrapatni" remark, Congress leader Manish Tewari Friday said anyone occupying a constitutional office is equally honourable and there is no point in "getting lost in the maze of gender". A major political row broke out on Thursday over the 'rashtrapatni' remark by the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha with the BJP launching an all-out offensive against the opposition party. The ruling party accused Chowdhury of hurling a "deliberate sexist insult" at President Droupadi Murmu and demanded an apology from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. In his defence, Chowdhury, who is the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said he never intended to disrespect the President and his 'rashtrapatni' remark was a "slip of the tongue". Accusing the BJP of making a "mountain out of a molehill" over the issue, he had said he will apologise to President Murmu but not to "these pakhandis" (hypocrites). Amid the brouhaha, Congress' Anandpur Sahib MP Tewari, posted a cryptic tweet in which he asserted that there is no point in getting lost in the maze of gender. "Lady or gentleman, anyone occupying a constitutional office is equally Hon'ble. Respect has to be given & should be accorded to that institution," Tewari said. "Any person on a particular position becomes analogous to or with that office. No point in getting lost in the maze of gender," the former Union minister said. The TMC on Friday targeted the Centre over the issue of women safety citing a case of a Gujarat BJP MLA allegedly raping a woman, a day after the BJP accused the Congress of hurling a "deliberate sexist insult" at President Droupadi Murmu. Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Friday amid uproar over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark. "Dear PM @narendramodi and @AmitShah. Look forward to seeing you both Monday morning #ParliamentMonsoonSession. Since you are ever so eager to raise issues of Oppn disrespecting #women All of us will be waiting. 11am Monday. See you then. P. S. If 56 inch can't come, send #2," tweeted TMC RS MP Derek O'Brien. He also attached a news report about police investigating allegations of rape and illegal confinement of a woman against Gujarat's Rural Development Minister and BJP MLA from Mahmedavad Arjunsinh Chauhan. The TMC, in its official Twitter handle, too raised the issue of women safety referring to the same allegations. "BJP Cabinet Minister and MLA @iarjunsinhbjp from Gujarat allegedly RAPED and ILLEGALLY CONFINED a woman. PM @narendramodi, where are your tall claims of successfully ensuring women's safety, now? This is happening in your own home turf! #ShameOnBJP," it tweeted. A major political row broke out on Thursday over Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark with the BJP launching an all-out offensive against the opposition party, accusing Chowdhury of hurling a "deliberate sexist insult" at President Murmu and demanding an apology from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. In his defence, Chowdhury, who is the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said he never intended to disrespect the President and that his 'rashtrapatni' remark was a "slip of the tongue".