Draupadi Murmu, who has been elected to be fifteenth president of Republic of India, has been in all around the news from last few days. In fact she is in continuous media discussion from the day she announced as presidential candidate by ruling party. Just after announcement many non-NDA parties supported her candidature made election just a formality. Most of the ongoing discussion is praising her appointment as she is the first one from tribal community who will be the president of our country. As per constitution, President is not the de facto head but the de jure head of the country, hence not much power this position has, but symbolically President is the first citizen and Head of the state of Republic of India, supreme commander in chief of all Indian armed forces and custodian of the constitution. Hence it’s a matter of great pride and appreciation for our country and democracy.
Apart from the first tribal, she is the second woman after Pratibha Patill assuming the office. First one from Orissa become president. First one born in independent India. She is the first councilor (ward member) of local civic body (Nagar panchayat) who has reached to this height, again depicts depth and maturity of Indian democracy.
Definitely, being the first one from tribal community (Adivasi) is the major highlight. Around 9 percent of our total population belongs to tribal communities. After almost seventy-five years of independence community is among poorest, least developed and also registered the highest child mortality and infant mortality rates, when compared to other social groups. Also community faced lot of issues b/c of Maoists/Naxalites groups, which are funded from foreign countries who want to destabilize the country.
Draupadi Murmu, has substantial experience as administrator. Although she started from councilor but she was twice elected as member in Orissa assembly. During her first term in Naveen Patnaik lead Collation government in Orissa, she was Independent charge minister of state.
She was also governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021. Where She called herself “governor with difference” importantly not because she was the first tribal woman appointed as governor for any state, but because of her work. Glimpses of this difference she actually showed too few times, while calling DGP in governor house, declining the state govt request to give governor house land for flyover and so on. These differences are interesting b/c these decisions she taken while BJP itself ruling the state.
Time will decide she will be proved as “President with a difference” on basis of her work or not but surely she is different because of her appointment. It creates confidence in the community who is socially and economically most backward. May be BJP playing the card of symbolism to have the vote bank of these community after appointing Dalit President in last term and now from tribal community, In that case also It’s the power of democracy only. It creates trust in Indian Democracy. Democracy has reached so far, more it has to achieve. Democracy is looking forward for de facto head (prime minister) coming from these communities (Dalit and tribal communities).
