Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today that former President Ram Nath Kovind had left behind a legacy of the country's constitution being "trampled upon umpteen times" and accused him of working to the BJP's political agenda.
Droupadi Murmu took over as India's new President after a historic oath ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament, followed by her ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Soon after her oath, her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind was targeted by Mehbooba Mufti.
"The outgoing President leaves behind a legacy where the Indian Constitution was trampled upon umpteenth times. Be it scrapping of Article 370, CAA or the unabashed targeting of minorities & Dalits, he fulfilled BJP's political agenda at the cost of the Indian Constitution," Mehbooba Mufti, the chief of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju dismissed her comments. "We should not give importance to everyone's statement given in a wrong way," Mr Rijiju told news agency ANI.
Ms Mufti's tweet referred to the central government's move to scrap special status to Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and downgrade the former state into two union territories.
She also mentioned the controversial CAA or Citizenship Amendment Act that triggered countrywide protests in late 2019 and early 2020. The law, widely criticised as discriminatory as it makes religion a factor for nationality, seeks to fast-track citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan before 2015.
With Inputs from Agencies
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