Congress leader Ajoy Kumar has kicked up 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", a remark which drew sharp reaction from the BJP.
Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, the Congress leader alleged that the condition of the Scheduled Castes has become "worse".
Congress-led Opposition parties has fielded former union minister Yashwant Sinha against Murmu for the presidential elections on 18 July.
"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.
If elected, Murmu will be the first tribal President of India and the country's second female President.
The Opposition led by the Congress, meanwhile, has nominated former union minister and ex-BJP leader Yashwant Sinha as its candidate for the Presidential Elections, counting for which will happen on July 21.
Reacting to his statement, the BJP accused the Congress party of “insulting” the Presidential candidate. “This is how Congress insults India’s first woman tribal president candidate,” said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.
BJP's IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya posted on Twitter, "At a time when the NDA, led by PM Modi, has announced Smt Draupadi Murmu, a woman from Adivasi samaj, as it's nominee for the President's office, a move that will significantly empower the Tribals, Congress leader calls her evil by association! Just because she is a Tribal. Shame."
Earlier on Tuesday, the Opposition was dealt a major blow, when former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that his faction of the Shiv Sena would be backing Murmu.
Thackeray’s announcement came a day after his meeting with party MPs, where several MPs “requested” him to support Murmu and open the door to a possible reconciliation with the BJP and the breakaway Shinde faction.
(with inputs from ANI)
