Lok Sabha was adjourned till 4 pm on Thursday amid noisy scenes as BJP members strongly protested against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury calling President Droupadi Murmu "rashtrapatni". As soon as the House met at 11 am, BJP members were up on their feet demanding an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi over Chowdhury's remark.
"The Congress leader has disrespected the President. The Congress could not tolerate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a poor tribal woman the Presidential candidate," Union Minister Smriti Irani said. Amid the furore, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.
Similar scenes were witnessed when the House reassembled. "Sonia Gandhi should apologise for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remarks," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said amid the din. Later, BJP member Rajendra Agarwal, who was in the Chair, adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.