Even though her defeat is imminent, UPA presidential nominee Meira Kumar on Monday claimed that the presidential election this time was a battle of two ideologies rather than an election.
Addressing a meeting of the Congress MlAs in the State, she said earlier the presidential elections used to be a contest between two individuals, but she had been contesting the election to safeguard the multi-religion, multi-caste, multi-linguistic and multi-culture features of Indian society.
Accompanied by State Congress in-charge, Ambika Soni, former Union law Minister Salman Khurshid and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Kumar addressed a press conference and said that the diversity of faith, ideologies, languages and cultures was a great capital of our great nation and this capital had enriched over years.
“But of late, the atmosphere of the country had changed a lot and a feeling of suppression for differing voices has been prevailing in the air. People with difference of religion, ideology, faith, food or practices with ruling class were not being tolerated,” alleged Meira Kumar.
She said the people in power were trying to marginalise the minorities and lower castes after marginalising people on religious lines. She said that the minorities and lower castes suffered attacks earlier also but the country used to stand against such acts and condemn such acts collectively. But of late, the atmosphere has changed and instead of condemning, such events were flared up, distorted and spread to other places.
Kumar said UPA president Sonia Gandhi, proposed her candidature to safeguard the ideological diversity of the country and 18 parties supported the Congress point of view.
Replying on the mathematical table in favour of NDA candidate for the presidential post, Meira Kumar said that I have been here to appeal all the members of the collegium supposed to vote, to vote on the voice of their conscience.
Expressing hope for getting support from unexpected quarters, Meira Kumar said that winning of opposition’s candidate in presidential election was not an exception and V V Giri and Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy’s victory in the past are examples, when the candidate of opposition won the top constitutional post.