Sonia Gandhi has utmost respect for President Murmu, her remarks twisted by media: Priyanka Gandhi

'They are both respected people, they are older than us, they are at a certain age now and it is pretty clear that she (Sonia Gandhi) means no disrespect', Priyanka said.

New Delhi: Amid a row over former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's reaction on President Droupadi Murmu's address, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said her mother has the utmost respect for the President and that it is very unfortunate that her remarks have been "twisted by the media".

She also hit out at the BJP's demand for an apology over the issue, saying it should first apologise for "ruining the country".

"My mother is a 78-year-old lady. She simply said that 'the President must have been tired reading such a long speech, poor thing'. She fully respects, in fact she has the utmost respect for her (the President). It is very unfortunate that this kind of a thing is twisted by the media," Priyanka Gandhi told reporters here.

"They are both respected people, they are older than us, they are at a certain age now and it is pretty clear that she (Sonia Gandhi) means no disrespect," the Congress MP said while exiting the Parliament House complex after attending a committee meeting.

Earlier, Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi also hit out at the BJP over its criticism on the issue.

"Smt. Sonia Gandhi's empathy for Hon'ble President Droupadi Murmu ji's health cannot be digested by the men in BJP. Every person in India has respect and empathy for the President," he said on X.

"Will the BJP answer for the disrespect shown to President Murmu when she was not invited to the inauguration of the Parliament or the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya? I challenge them to answer this question," Gogoi said.

Earlier, the BJP launched an all-out attack on the Congress over Sonia Gandhi's remarks, saying they were "deeply disrespectful" and also underscored the opposition's "continued disregard" for the dignity of the highest constitutional office.

Soon after the President delivered her address to a joint sitting of Parliament, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were seen discussing the speech in the Parliament complex.

"The poor lady, the President, was getting very tired by the end... she could hardly speak, poor thing," Sonia Gandhi was purportedly heard saying in a video doing the rounds on social media.