Murmu's victory a reply to those who pay lip service to tribal empowerment, but divide communities: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that a person belonging to a tribal Santhal community and coming from a very backward region, occupying the country's top post is a "huge victory of democracy".

Gandhinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday termed Droupadi Murmu's election as India's President a "historic event", and said her victory was a reply to those who only talk about the empowerment of tribals, but divide communities. He said empowerment of tribals is achieved not by talking about it, but through the moves like these (Murmu's election).

Shah added that a person belonging to a tribal Santhal community and coming from a very backward region, occupying the country's top post is a "huge victory of democracy".

"It is normal for one of the two contesting Presidential candidates to win, but for Droupadi Murmu to become the President - from Shrimati Droupadi Murmu to Mahamahim Droupadi Murmu - is a historic event in the 75 years of the country's Independence," Shah said at the National Forensic Sciences University, where he launched a host of projects.

To all those who talk about tribal empowerment and divide communities and play politics in its name, Murmu's victory is a reply that tribal empowerment cannot be achieved only by using these words but by deeds like these, he said. Shah talked about former president APJ Abdul Kalam and outgoing president Ram Nath Kovind - who were elected to the top post when the BJP was in power.

He said that while the former contributed towards securing India by strengthening the country's defence system and taking India on the world map in the field of science, the latter came from a very poor Dalit family and made it to the top post after struggle. "Today's president comes from a region, where many do not even know what president is," he said. (PTI)