Should India have a rubber-stamp President, asks Yashwant Sinha

Joint Opposition candidate for Presidential polls, Yashwant Sinha on Thursday questioned NDA nominee Draupadi Murmu's silence on issues concerning the tribal community in the country.

Addressing a press conference here at a hotel, Sinha called Murmu a 'silent' and 'rubber stamp' candidate for the Presidential election.

"I have great regards for Draupadi Murmu. However, so far, she has not broken her silence even on issues concerning the tribal communities in India. Hence, my question is to members of the electoral college, and also to the people of the county -- should India have a silent and rubber-stamp Rashtrapati?" Sinha said.

He further stated that there is nothing wrong if MLAs and MPs vote for a candidate of his or her choice in the Presidential election.

"The makers of the constitution have devised the method of the secret ballot to underscore the fact that the members of the Electoral College should have freedom to heed the call of their conscience, and should not blindly follow the decision of their respective parties.

"Therefore, I too urge MPs and MLAs, regardless of their party affiliations, to vote for me. But I strongly condemn the dirty tricks employed by the ruling party.... My fight is against anarchism and to protect the democracy of the country," he added.

"Apart from Madhya Pradesh, the BJP dislodged governments in Karnataka, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, and most recently in Maharashtra. In all this, I hear alarm bells for democracy in India," Sinha said.

Sinha arrived in Bhopal on Wednesday night to seek support of MPs and MLAs for the upcoming July 18 Presidential elections.

He left for Delhi on Thursday noon.