Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India]July 14 (ANI): Odisha Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators on Thursday protested inside the state assembly against Congress leader Ajay Kumar’s remarks on National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu.
Congress leader Ajay Kumar on Wednesday alleged that NDA’s presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu represents a “very bad philosophy of India”.
They should not be made a “symbol of tribals”. The Congress leader alleged that the condition of Scheduled Castes has become “worse” despite Ram Nath Kovind becoming the President.
Speaking to ANI, Kumar alleged, “Yashwant Sinha is a good candidate, and Draupadi Murmu is a decent person, but she represents the bad philosophy of India. We should not make them a symbol of tribals… Ram Nath Kovind is the President but SCs are being atrocities. Modi government is fooling people.
The BJP reacted sharply to Kumar’s remarks on Murmu.
Hours after the statement, Ajay Kumar clarified that he had a problem with the NDA’s views and commented on it. He also said that Murmu is a good woman.
Meanwhile, parties like YSR Congress Party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Akali Dal have extended their support to Murmu.
Against Murmu, the Congress-led opposition has fielded former Union minister Yashwant Sinha for the July 18 presidential election.
Murmu is a former Governor of Jharkhand and a former Minister of Odisha. If elected, she will be India’s first tribal president and the country’s second woman president. Born in a poor tribal family in Mayurbhanj village of Odisha’s backward district, Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances.
Murmu is the first presidential candidate of a major political party or coalition from Odisha.
Voting for the next President of India will begin on July 18 while the counting of votes will take place on July 21.
This report is automatically generated from ANI news service. ThePrint assumes no responsibility for its contents.