Union Minister Smriti Irani has demanded Sonia Gandhi's apology
Amid a massive row over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury calling President Droupadi Murmu "Rashtrapatni", Sonia Gandhi responded to media questions on whether he would apologise.
"He has already apologised," the Congress president told NDTV at parliament.
The ruling BJP raised strong objections in both houses of parliament to the comment.
"Sonia Gandhi should apologise to the country, tribals for this insult to India's first woman tribal President," Union Minister Smriti Irani said in Lok Sabha.
In the uproar and slogan shouting by the ruling party, Lok Sabha was adjourned.
In Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: "It was a deliberate sexist insult by the Congress at a time the entire country is celebrating the first woman, tribal President."
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury apologised this morning saying it was a "slip of the tongue" and that the BJP is "making a mountain out of a molehill".
"I said it once, just once. It was a slip, by default. It is the habit of the ruling party to make a mountain out of a molehill," Mr Chowdhury told reporters.
The President is called "Rashtrapati" in Hindi.
Smriti Irani, in a scathing attack on Sonia Gandhi, demanded an apology from her. "Sonia Gandhi sanctioned the humiliation of a woman at the highest constitutional office in the country," she said.
Ms Irani said Mr Chowdhury used the term knowing well that it demeans the President and her office and is against India's values.