New Delhi: Congress leader Ajoy Kumar kicked up a storm when he said NDA Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu represents a "very evil philosophy of India". This led to the BJP reacting angrily with Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda demanding an apology. "Ajay Kumar shows his anger in not being able to do anything. The entire Congress should apologize to the country for this statement. Tribal society has lived with a proud history before independence and has been continuously struggling after independence as the tribes were not recognized by Congress even after being in power for a long time," said Munda.


Draupadi Murmu controversy: What did Ajoy Kumar say?


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Ajoy Kumar kicked off a controversy with his comment that NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu represents a "very evil philosophy of India" and should not be made a "symbol of Adivasi". "It's not about Draupadi 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.


Congress-led Opposition parties have fielded former union minister Yashwant Sinha against Murmu for the presidential elections on July 18.


BJP slams Congress


Munda also said that the opposition is shocked by the fact that a woman from a tribal society has been presented as a Presidential candidate. "Ajay Kumar said that Murmu should not be the face of tribals, it should also be noted that Kumar himself is not from a tribal community. He has exposed himself," Munda added.


If elected, Draupadi Murmu will be the first tribal President of India and the country's second female President. She was the first woman governor of Jharkhand (from 2015 to 2021). Born in a poor tribal family in a village in Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances.


Also read: Presidential Election 2022 - Shiv Sena to support Draupadi Murmu


Murmu was a national executive member of BJP's ST Morcha from 2013 to 2015 and served as BJP district chief of Mayurbhanj (West) in 2010 and 2013. Between 2006 and 2009, she was chief of BJP's ST Morcha in Odisha. She was a member of the national executive of BJP ST Morcha from 2002 to 2009. 


(With ANI inputs)