Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Presidential qualities” (July 21). After KR Narayanan, India will have its second Scheduled Caste President in Ram Nath Kovind. Ram Nath Kovind epitomises a paradigm shift in Indian politics for another reason as well.
With this nomination, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who himself is from the backward, chose a Scheduled Caste for Rashtrapati Bhavan. For decades, the party had represented the upper castes and the middle class. Now, it is increasingly coming to target and win over the backward class and the tribals who are traditionally a section the Congress once represented.
This is not to say that just because Kovind is a Scheduled Caste and will now sit in Rashtrapati Bhavan, he will begin to sway the backward masses to the BJP’s side outright. But symbolism does have value in democratic politics, especially in a country as diverse as ours. Since Modi came to power in 2014, he has wooed the Scheduled Caste. They too see in him a genuine well-wisher of their community.