Taking a different stand from that of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Ram Nath Kovind, who said the President has the anti-Ambedkar thinking of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress on Wednesday said not everything should be unnecessarily turned into controversy.
Mayawati yesterday said that by not paying tribute to Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar in his address, President Kovind has shown that he has the same anti-Ambedkar thinking like the BJP.
Congress leader P.L. Punia said that such things take place in programmes, adding that he does not think the President has less respect for Dr. Ambedkar.
"It's a matter of pride that a Dalit has been elected as the President of India. Such things (not paying tribute to Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar in his address) happen in programmes. I don't think that the President has less respect for Dr. Ambedkar. This should not be turned into a controversy unnecessarily," Punia told ANI.
Another Congress leader KTS Tulsi also opined the same, stating that President Kovind's speech was inclusive and his tone promoted tolerance.
"I heard his speech. I was greatly impressed by his humility, tone and tenor of his speech and the manner in which he remembered the smallest Indians in different fields of life. It would have been better had he paid tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. But, nevertheless, it was an inclusive speech that was delivered by the President," Tulsi told ANI.
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Mayawati also added that President Kovind, in his political life, had represented the narrow and casteist thinking of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
"This was not expected from him. If not anybody else, then at least this can be expected from a person who is associated with the Dalit community that he will always be thankful for the struggles that Ambedkar went through and the sacrifices he made," she asserted.
Kovind was elected the President last Thursday as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate. He defeated Opposition's nominee Meira Kumar by a huge margin.
President Kovind was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar at the Central Hall of the Parliament in presence of outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee on the dais.