Reacting sharply to Chowdhary's remark, federal minister Smriti Irani said he used the term "Rashtrapatni" knowing that it demeans Murmu and her high office, and goes against India’s values. “A tribal woman from a poor family who created history is being continuously demeaned by the Congress,” she told reporters, adding that the party should apologize to the President and the country.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also slammed the Congress party for Chowdhury’s remark as she called it “deliberate sexist abuse.” “I demand an apology from the President of Congress party who herself is a woman [and] has allowed her leader to speak like that,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chowdhury termed the incident as a mere “slip of tongue” and claimed the BJP is “making mountain out of a molehill.” Whoever is the president of India, be it Brahmin, or Adivasi, "the President is the President for us,” he added.