It is emancipation vs freedom struggle — Presidential polls

Yesterday’s resolution of the SC and ST parliamentarians’ forum to back the candidature of a freedom fighter or political sufferer for President has created a division within the body. The resolution has not gone down well with a section of them who feel that it was aimed at scuttling Narayanan’s chances and projecting Forum Convenor G Venkataswamy as a candidate.

Narayanan, a former career diplomat, is neither a freedom fighter nor a political sufferer while Venkataswamy is a freedom fighter. At the time of adopting the resolution in the SC and ST forum, Venkataswamy is said to have suggested that a freedom fighter as president would be in the fitness of things in the 50th year of Indian Independence.

Hanumanthappa is said to have argued that the resolution should not have any riders attached to it as it would create hurdles for a person hailing from the SCs and STs becomes President. He is livid with Venkataswamy for spreading disinformation that it was he (Hanumanthappa) who had drafted the resolution.

Venkataswamy went on the defensive today. He said that the resolution was not against Narayanan. “All that we said was that the sentiments of freedom fighters should be taken into account. It was not aimed at any individual,” he said.

Hanumanthappa, after resigning his forum post, said Narayanan should have been the natural choice as he has the acceptance of most political parties. In another development, backward classes MPs today pleaded that the next incumbent of the country’s top slot should come from their social bracket. In a letter to Prime Minister I K Gujral, they said since Independence no one from their castes had so far been elevated to the highest Constitutional position.

Signatories to the letter were Pappu Yadav (Samajwadi Party), R P Yadav (Janata Dal), Bhakt Charan Das (Samajwadi Janata Party-R), Prem Singh Chandumajra (Akali Dal), Pinaki Mishra (Congress) and Ilyas Azmi and Sukhlal Khushwaha (both Bahujan Samaj Party).