'Insult of Adivasis': BJP Slams Cong Over Ajoy Kumar's 'Evil Philosophy' Remark Against Murmu

Coming down heavily on Congress leader Ajoy Kumar’s “evil philosophy” remark against NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, the BJP on Wednesday said the grand old party has demeaned the office of President and should apologize to the entire tribal community. However, Kumar has issued a clarification and said that he had commented on NDA’s views and not on Murmu, who is a “good woman”.

This controversy erupted a day after Kumar, a former Lok Sabha MP, said that Murmu “represents a very evil philosophy of India” and “should not be made the symbol of Adivasis”.

“Yashwant Sinha is a good candidate. Droupadi Murmu is a decent person but she represents the evil philosophy of India. We shouldn’t make her a symbol of tribals. Ram Nath Kovind is President but atrocities happening on SCs. Modi government’s fooling people,” he told news agency ANI.

BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya shared a video of Kumar’s remarks on Twitter and condemned it. He tweeted, “At a time when the NDA, led by PM Modi, has announced Smt Draupadi Murmu, a woman from Adivasi Samaj, as its 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.”

Taking to Twitter, another BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said that Murmu has risen from the grassroots and asked, “What is evil about the philosophy about somebody who has struggled against the circumstances, got elected from the grassroots, served as the MLA, won the best MLA award, and has not a single stain of corruption on her. What is the evil in it?”

“The language used by the Congress party especially Ajoy Kumar is an insult of the entire Adivasi community. The Congress must explain or else they must apologize for the statement that they have made insulting not just Droupadi Murmuji but the entire Adivasi community,” Poonawalla told ANI.

Another BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia requested the Congress to “not destroy” the reputation of an institution. “Saying NDA presidential candidate is an evil force is not healthy politics and people of this country repeatedly rejected it. By making such a comment Congress party is demeaning the office of President. I request Congress to not destroy the reputation of an institution,” he said.

After facing backlash from the BJP, Kumar took to Twitter and claimed that the saffron party is spreading a doctored video to defame him. “It is a shame that BJP IT cell is spreading a fabricated video to defame me. I don’t care what trollers say or spread, I want BJP to answer to our Dalit brothers and sisters what they have done for Dalit people,” he said in a series of tweets.

Speaking to ANI, he said, “I have always said Murmu is a good woman. Issue is with NDA’s views, that is what I commented on. Amit Malviya is BJP IT cell in-charge and is sending doctored video. A one-minute video has been cut to 17 seconds and misrepresented. We will tackle this issue legally.”

Murmu had earlier served as the Governor of Jharkhand. If elected, she will be the first tribal woman to hold the top constitutional office.

Opposition’s nominee for the Presidential polls, Yashwant Sinha had recently said that the contest between him and Murmu was not just about who becomes the next President, but about who will use his or her rights to save the Constitution after becoming President.

The Presidential elections are scheduled to be held on July 18.

(with inputs from agencies)

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