'Droupadi Murmu A Good Woman, Issue With NDA's Views': Congress' Ajoy Kumar Clarifies Amid Row

A controversy had erupted and the BJP leaders took a dig at Kumar after he said “Murmu represents a very evil philosophy of India”.

New Delhi: Congress leader Ajoy Kumar, who sparked a row with his remarks on NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, clarified his stand saying that he never spoke ill about Murmu and described the latter as a ‘good woman’. Kumar further said that he was actually speaking about the BJP-led NDA’s views and accused the BJP IT cell in-charge of circulating a doctored video of him.

“I've always said Murmu is a good woman. Issue is with NDA's views, that is what I commented on. Amit Malviya is BJP IT cell in-charge and is sending doctored video. A 1-minute video has been cut to 17 seconds and misrepresented. We will tackle this issue legally,” news agency ANI quoted Kumar as saying.

It is to be noted that a controversy had erupted and the BJP leaders took a dig at Kumar after he said “Murmu represents a very evil philosophy of India”.

“Yashwant Sinha is a good candidate, Droupadi Murmu is a decent person but she represents evil philosophy of India. We shouldn't make her symbol of tribals...Ram Nath Kovind is President but atrocities happening on SCs. Modi govt’s fooling people,” ANI quoted Kumar as saying earlier in the day.

The Congress leader also claimed that the condition of Scheduled Castes has become "worse" over the last few years.

Following his comments, BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya slammed him and tweeted, “At a time when the NDA, led by PM Modi, has announced Smt Draupadi Murmu, a woman from Adivasi samaj, as it's nominee for the President's office, a move that will significantly empower the Tribals, Congress leader calls her evil by association! Just because she is a Tribal. Shame.”

After Kumar’s video was retweeted by multiple BJP leaders, who lashed out at him over his remarks, he tweeted in response saying, “1st sack Mr Malviya for doctored video.1.Smt Draupadi Ji is a good person I have said that and maintained. 2.The RSS-BJP is a 'Poisonous philosophy is also true. Sardar patel banned them. 3.Why BJP opposed the candidature of KR Narayanan? Are you anti SC by this logic?”

Notably, Droupadi Murmu, who is a tribal from Odisha and the former Governor of Jharkhand, will become the first tribal President of India if she wins the Presidential Election on July 18.