This refers to the editorial, “Now, a symbolic contest” (June 24). By selecting Meira Kumar as its nominee for the post of President, the Congress has countered the BJP with a dual-edged reservation card of its candidate having distinction of two categories of reservation. First, a Scheduled Caste and second, a woman, in order to counter BJP candidate who has just one category of reservation of being a Scheduled Caste.
India has political leaders like Mayawati, who had simply one criterion even in a presidential election: That the candidate should be from a Scheduled Caste, because it was clear that her party would have supported Ram Nath Kovind of the BJP, in case the Opposition had fielded someone from the unreserved category. Such political thinking can never do away with cast politics from society. Given the current scenario, the highest post of the nation should be permanently reserved for the reserved categories.
The Congress-led Opposition choice, Meira Kumar, should ask the Union Government to dissolve her creation of the Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation, which was established when she was the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment. She must also vacate Government bungalow number six at Krishna Menon Marg, in New Delhi, which she has been was occupying for years.