Dubbing contest as Dalit vs Dalit has exposed our real face, says Meira Kumar

RAIPUR: The Opposition's nominee for the presidential election, Meira Kumar today said projecting the poll for the top office as "Dalit vs Dalit" has exposed the real face of the society which still thinks through the caste prism.

Kumar today met Congress MLAs here, seeking their support for the July 17 presidential election. Speaking to media later, she said the presidential election is being contested on the basis of ideology for the first time.

"I am happy because it has exposed the real face of the society, that such a thinking is still prevalent,But I am pained because such issues are still being discussed; how do we progress (with this attitude)? If we keep ourselves under the clutches of the caste system, we will never progress," the former Lok Sabha Speaker said. "I feel sad when the election is described as a Dalit vs Dalit contest."

"Presidential elections were held many times in the past and whenever two people from the so-called upper castes contested, the discussion would be about their (respective) achievements, their abilities, their qualities. Their caste was never discussed. But when I and Kovind-ji are contesting, nothing is being discussed beyond (both being) Dalit," Kumar said.

"The caste system should be abolished for the growth of the nation. We are living in the second decade of the 21st century. We wanted to make India a progressive and modern nation and take it to (new) heights. We can not do it with such narrow and orthodox thoughts," she said.

"I have requested MLAs and MPs to cast their votes keeping in view the nation's interest. Otherwise, future generation would ask them why they chose a path leading towards darkness, where people are divided in the name of religion and caste," she said.