New Delhi: Yashwant Sinha, the joint candidate put up by 17 opposition parties for the presidential polls, said on Wednesday that the country should not have a “rubber-stamp president” and added that the battle is not between two individuals but between two ideologies.Sinha held his first campaign strategy meeting at the Nationalist Congress Party office in Delhi on Wednesday and subsequently addressed the media. He said the presidential election is not an individual battle but a fight for the issues plaguing the country.“I am thankful to all the political parties that have given me the opportunity in the presidential polls. I am glad that these parties have given me that credibility. This election is not an individual fight for me. There are issues that the country is facing on which the electoral college has to take a decision,” the former Union minister said.The BJP-led Union government is moving on a road that is not good for the country, he said, adding that “youngsters are suffering” and now, the “joke” that the government has played on unemployment with the Agnipath scheme for military recruitment has the entire country up in arms.“The president’s post is extremely sensitive and I will not be under pressure from the government,” he added.Sinha will file his nomination for the presidential polls on June 27 and is most likely to begin campaigning from Jharkhand and Bihar.“We will be going to various places in the country to campaign…. We are formulating a strategy on that. I congratulate Droupadi Murmu, but this is not me against her – this is an ideological contest. We should not have a rubber-stamp president in the country,” he said.The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has named Murmu, a leader from Odisha, as its candidate in the presidential polls. Her election is now all but a formality. She will become the first Adivasi person to become president and the second woman.Later, in a statement, Sinha (84) said the leaders of one ideology are “hell-bent on throttling the constitution”.“They believe India’s Rashtrapati should not function with a mind of her or his own and should merely serve as a rubber stamp to do the government’s bidding. I am proud to belong to the other ideology that is determined to save the Constitution and the Republic,” he said.Leaders like K.K. Sharma (Nationalist Congress Party), Jairam Ramesh (Congress) and Sudheendra Kulkarni were present at the meeting on Wednesday.In the statement, Sinha said if elected, he shall conscientiously uphold, without fear or favour, the basic values and guiding ideals of the Constitution.“In particular, as the custodian of the Constitution, I shall not allow the light of democracy and secularism to be dimmed by the executive. I shall not allow the independence and integrity of democratic institutions to be weaponised against political opponents, as is happening now. I shall do my utmost to ensure that the majesty of Indian Parliament will remain safe from attacks by the forces of authoritarianism,” the former Union finance minister said.He further alleged that the ongoing attacks on the federal structure of the Constitution, whereby the Centre is “attempting to rob the state governments of their legitimate rights and powers”, will be treated as totally unacceptable.“I shall also use the authority of my office to check the menacing power of ill-gotten money that is killing the soul of Indian democracy and making a mockery of people’s mandate in elections. India is currently going through extremely difficult times. I shall raise my voice for the common people — kisans, workers, unemployed youth, women and all marginalised sections of the society,” Sinha said.The full statement has been reproduced below.§I am overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude towards all the Opposition parties and their leaders for choosing me unanimously as their common candidate to contest the Presidential Election, to be held on 18th July 2022.I thank them for the trust and confidence they have reposed in me. I assure them – and the People of India – that, if elected, I shall conscientiously uphold, without fear or favour, the basic values and guiding ideals of the Indian Constitution. In particular, as the Custodian of the Constitution, I shall not allow the light of democracy and secularism to be dimmed by the executive. I shall not allow the independence and integrity of democratic institutions to be weaponised against political opponents, as is happening now. I shall do my utmost to ensure that the majesty of Indian Parliament will remain safe from attacks by the forces of authoritarianism.The ongoing attacks on the Federal Structure of the Constitution, whereby the government is attempting to rob the state governments of their legitimate rights and powers, will be treated as totally unacceptable. I shall also use the authority of my office to check the menacing power of ill-gotten money that is killing the soul of Indian democracy and making a mockery of people’s mandate in elections.India is currently going through extremely difficult times. I shall raise my voice for the common people – kisans, workers, unemployed youth, women and all marginalised sections of society.I take this opportunity to emphasise that this is not a contest of individuals. I have great regard for Smt. Draupadi Murmu, who has been chosen by the Bharatiya Janata Party as its candidate for the Presidential Election. I have had the pleasure of interacting with her when she was the Governor of Jharkhand. I wish her well in this election. However, this is a battle between two opposing ideologies. Leaders of one ideology are hellbent on throttling the Constitution. They believe India’s Rashtrapati should not function with a mind of her/his own and should merely serve as a rubber stamp to do the government’s bidding. I am proud to belong to the other ideology that is determined to save the Constitution and the Republic.After filing my nomination papers on June 27, I plan to begin my campaign by visiting as many state capitals as I possibly can. I hope to meet or speak to the leaders as well as MPs and MLAs of all the political parties to seek their support. Above all, I also seek the support and guidance of ‘Janata Janardan’, the People of this Great Nation.
