Ashok Gehlot says BJP made Ram Nath Kovind president ‘keeping caste arithmetic correct’, kicks row  

Ashok Gehlot. 

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said Ram Nath Kovind was made the president of India due to caste considerations. The Bhartiya Janata Party slammed Gehlot’s comment saying  it was “anti-dalit, anti-poor and anti-constitutional” and demanded an apology and strong action against the chief minister.

During a news conference in Jaipur, Gehlot, while talking about the Gujarat assembly election in 2017, said, “People say that President Ram Nath Kovind … I read in an article... they got worried that they would not be able to form the government in Gujarat ... then Amit Shah chose his weapon … make Kovind ji the president to keep the caste arithmetic correct ... and Advaniji was out of the race ... the nation had hoped that Advani would get what he deserved.”

Reacting over Gehlot comment, BJP’s GVL Narsimha Rao said, “Is the Congress against a person who comes from a poor background and belongs to the dalit community? President Kovind is a highly accomplished individual. This is a condemnable statement. We expect apology and strong action.”

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