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INDIA ELECTED A new president from the bottom of the Hindu caste system on Thursday, only the second time since independence that a head of state has been chosen from the marginalised group.
Ram Nath Kovind won the largely ceremonial position with more than 65% of the vote by members of India’s parliament and state assemblies, the election commission said.
The 71-year-old former lawyer and state governor from the downtrodden Dalit community was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party for the post.
Analysts said the election of Kovind would help Modi tighten his grip on power and accrue political capital by sending an important message to the Dalits, a long-disdained electoral group once known as “untouchables”.
The opposition Congress Party also put forward a Dalit candidate, a former parliamentary speaker Meira Kumar.
But Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party assembled enough electoral college votes to push through its candidate and the outcome was expected.
“Congratulations to Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji on being elected the President of India! Best wishes for a fruitful and inspiring tenure,” Modi wrote on Twitter.
Kovind, in a sobering address after being declared president-elect, said it was an “emotional moment”.
“It has been raining in Delhi since morning, and reminds me of my childhood in our ancestral village home, where we siblings used to huddle around the walls to avoid water from the leaking roof when it rained,” he said.
Even today the country will have so many Ram Nath Kovinds working as daily wagers, farmers… sweating for their next meal. I want to tell them that I am going to the ‘President House’ as their representative.
Celebrations erupted in Kovind’s home state of Uttar Pradesh with drumming and cheering in cities and villages.
Dalits, who number around 200 million in the nation of 1.3 billion, are among India’s poorest communities and relegated to the margins of society.
Despite legal protection, discrimination is rife and Dalits are routinely denied access to education and other advancement opportunities.
Kovind said his election to the highest office of the land underscored the strength of India’s democracy.
“I never thought or aimed for this office…I will work to protect the Indian constitution,” he added.
Kovind will be sworn in as India’s 14th president on Tuesday, as Pranab Mukherjee’s five-year term draws to a close.
India’s prime minister wields executive power, but the president can send back some parliamentary bills for reconsideration and also plays a guiding role in the process of forming governments.
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He must’ve been a big fan of “slumdog millionare”
@Frank Dubogovik: why¿
@Frank Dubogovik: yeah why?
Coz it’s a great film.
@Emmet Dillane: cheers Emmet….was out cutting the ol grass last few hours. ..only saw all the question marks now…..it sure was a great film
Might sort out the general bad attitude to women,low paid workers, multiple daily rapes,and other Indian pastimes
@billy Dorney: Nah…it’s the same aesthetic band aid the ruling class has used before. If there’s a female prime minister/president then that can be used to shut down any debate on the condition of women in the country (think of how many people said racism was over in the US coz they had a black president).
I figure it’ll be the same here. Any genuine concerns of the treatment of the caste will be dismissed with “You have a president now, what more could you want”.
@Bryan Kelly: astute,,bang on boy
Indian had it has a caste system, but just cause we don’t dose not mean we don’t. Would we ever have a leader from a certain class probably not, do only a certain class do drugs here no, but only certain class ends up in court, do a only certain class break laws no, but only a certain class end up in jail/court.
@:
The British have a class system – everyone knows how it works
The Americans have a class system- no one knows how it works.
The Irish have a class system – but they won’t tell anyone else how it works.
@Emmet Dillane: very,very funny, best comment in ages
Interesting fact:
The Dalits have their own anthem.
‘The only way is up….baby’…. by Ramshindar Yazz.
@Emmet Dillane: this is your cultural discussion on India? Yep pretty much what I expected.
@Deborah Behan:
Not a lot of people knew that.
@Emmet Dillane: it’s interesting that you feel it’s OK to ridicule someone else’s belief system but if anyone ridicules your one (which has about the same basis in fact as Hinduism) you get all snotty about it…
@Deborah Behan: meowwwwwww, getting bitchy here girls
@Pseud O’Nym:
Just some in house religious banter between believers.
What a coincidence so is our new Taoiseach
Just like president Trump so, from the bottom of the political cast system.
@Government Sachs: Hardly !! Trumps family we’re wealthy and he inherited his wealth. Politically Trump may be repulsive but this man came from extreme circumstances to become president . The caste system in India is hard on the poorer classes
@Catherine Sims: Correct. Trumps Daddy was a self made man. The Donald received millions from him to set himself up, and proceeded to lose money owning a casino.
Can you guys wend your way over to the nearest Trump article and leave us culturalists to have an interesting discussion on India.
Thank you.
@Government Sachs: on look the victims are out.
@Emmet Dillane: Cal/Tommy/Tom/Karl/Daniel/Mark etc; the only interesting discussion you have is with your other identities.
@DaisyChainsaw:
Please, don’t speak ill of the departed.
@The Risen: Fred Drumpf was a shyster google beach Haven, the family wealth was gained questionably through a social housing scheme by the federal government, yep Trump owes his wealth to socialism
Another political strike by clever politicians
At least the WAR with China might fix that until China wins lol.
have your say