Cong Leader Udit Raj Faces Protests By Odisha BJP For Remarks On President

Rourkela: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers staged a demonstration against Congress leader Udit Raj during his visit to Odisha’s Rourkela on Sunday protesting his recent remarks about President Droupadi Murmu.

The former Congress MP, who was here to attend a party event, had to face violent protests as a large number of BJP workers hurled eggs at his vehicle and showed black flags. As the protesters virtually surrounded the vehicle of Raj and shouted slogans against him, the police reached the spot and dispersed them.

Senior BJP leader and former Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said the words used by Udit were improper and amounted to an insult not only to the President but to the SC and ST community as a whole. “The Congress party must expel Udit Raj from the party position and tender an apology immediately,” he added.

Notably, President Murmu in her October 4 visit to Gujarat had reportedly said, “The nation consumes 76% of the salt that is made in Gujarat. It could be said that the whole country eats major amount of salt that is made in Gujarat.”

In a swipe at the President, Udit Raj tweeted, “No country should get a president like Droupadi Murmu. Sycophancy has its own limits. If she says 70% of the nation consumes Gujarat’s salt, then she should also spend her whole life consuming it.”

Clearing air over his remark, Udit later said this was his personal remark and has got nothing to do with Congress.  “My heart cries when a person from downtrodden community such as Murmu is nominated to the highest constitutional post and does nothing for her own community,” he had said.

It may be noted that the National Commission for Women (NCW) has also summoned Udit Raj for his remarks against the President.