Highlights
- The Congress leader further alleged the condition of the scheduled castes has become "worse"
- We should not make her a symbol of 'Adivasi', Ajoy Kumar said in reference to Droupadi Murmu
- Kumar said all like-minded parties should vote for the Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha
President Election 2022: Congress leader Ajoy Kumar has kicked off a controversy, saying that NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu represents a "very evil philosophy of India" and should not be made a "symbol of Adivasi". The Congress leader further alleged the condition of the scheduled castes has become "worse".
"It's not about Droupadi Murmu. Yashwant Sinha is also a good candidate and Murmu is also a decent person. But she represents a very evil philosophy of India. We should not make her a symbol of 'Adivasi'. We have President Ram Nath Kovind, Hathras happened. Has he said a word? The condition of Scheduled Castes has become worse," Kumar said.
Calling the presidential elections a "fight for the soul of the nation", the Congress leader said that all like-minded parties should vote for the Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.
"Creating symbols and fooling the people of India is what the Modi government is all about. This is a fight for the soul of the nation and all like-minded parties should vote for Yashwant Sinha," he said.
Meanwhile, Kumar's remark against the NDA's presidential candidate has drawn a sharp reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Hitting back at Kumar, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said Congress has insulted Murmu.
If elected, Droupadi Murmu will be the first tribal President of India and the country's second female President. She was the first woman governor of Jharkhand (from 2015 to 2021). Born in a poor tribal family in the village of Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances.
Droupadi Murmu was a national executive member of BJP's ST Morcha from 2013 to 2015 and served as BJP district chief of Mayurbhanj (West) in 2010 and 2013. Between 2006 and 2009, she was chief of BJP's ST Morcha in Odisha. She was a member of the national executive of BJP ST Morcha from 2002 to 2009.
(With inputs from ANI)
