'Fight between ideologies not individuals': Yashwant Sinha after filing nomination

Yashwant Sinha, the common Opposition candidate for the presidential election, filed his nomination on Monday (June 27), in the presence of various Opposition leaders. He was accompanied by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar among others.

The Oposition leaders endorsed his nomination for the presidential polls. The following parties supported the nomination – INC, TMC, DMK, RJD, SP, NCP, TRS, CPM, CPI, RSP, NC, VCK, SS, AUDF, RLD and IUML. The JMM was missing.

Media briefing

During a media briefing, today, Sinha said: “It is important to have a person in the President’s office who has the capacity to advise the government and not one who will be under such grip of the government that he wouldn’t have the courage to instruct or advise the government, a person who will not act as a rubber stamp.”

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He further talked about the current scenario wherein the government is using central agencies to settle personal scores with rivals. “I have been in the government; I know what the protocols for probe by agencies are. Today, the aim of this government is not to investigate but to humiliate political rivals. We have never seen agencies summon a political leader for 50 hours of questioning,” he said.

Expressing his gratitude to all opposition parties who came together and chose him as their candidate for the president, he said this is not a fight between individuals but ideologies. “There is no consultation today. When I was in Parliament, despite being in Opposition, for five years I headed the finance standing committee and we had regular consultations with the then finance ministers. Today the Parliament has been made inconsequential, where is its role or that of the standing committees. Only 25% of the laws are brought before standing committees for consultation. Only constructing a new building will not preserve the Parliament,” Sinha said.

Called the PM: Yashwant Sinha

The presidential candidate revealed he had called the PM and had also left a message requesting to speak to him. He, however, never got a call back. He also tried to speak to Rajnath Singh. Singh called him back but Sinha couldn’t speak at the time. When Sinha called back, Singh was unable to talk. “I will still try to talk to as many political parties and their leaders as possible. Mr. Owaisi of AIMIM has assured me of his support. JD(S) and JMM were party to the decision to field me as a candidate, I hope to reach out to them again,” he said.

Also Read: Droupadi Murmu files nomination papers for presidential election

Yashwant Sinha plans to tour the country till July 16-17, meet as many people and political leaders across party lines as he can, and seek their support.

Opposition’s fourth choice?

Sinha, in response to those who say he’s the opposition’s fourth choice to be nominated as president, said: “I want to be clear, even if I was the 10th choice, I would have accepted. So, fourth choice is still better. I say this because this is a big fight and I am glad that I have a role to play in it.”

“The office of the President is one of great significance and immense dignity. It would have been ideal to have only one candidate. The responsibility of this was on the Centre but the government did not carry out the consultation for consensus,” he further said.

He then promised to fight to preserve the Indian democracy even with the last drop of blood in his body.

Also Read: NDAs presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu meets Home Minister Amit Shah

Murmu’s nomination

On Murmu being a tribal women candidate, Sinha said this isn’t a contest for identities. “I must also point out that because one person from an oppressed community may have become self-sufficient, doesn’t mean that his/her community has also received the same benefit,” he said.

“We will bring out a paper of the situation of the SC and ST in this country. That paper will expose the lies of this govt. This (fielding a tribal woman candidate) is pure symbolism and we don’t accept it. We will speak on track record not symbolism,” he added.

His son’s support

On whether his son, Jayant Sinha, a BJP MP, will support his candidature, Sinha said: “My son is following his rajdharma, I am following my rashtra dharm.”

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JMM’s support

Replying to a question on whether JMM still supports his candidature, he said: “Jharkhand has been my karmabhoomi. Whatever people may say (about JMM likely to support Droupadi Murmu), I know the behind-the-scenes situation is different.”