Patil will bring glory to Prez post, CPI counters Kalam's stateme

Hyderabad, June 24 (UNI) CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan today took exception to the statement made by President APJ Abdul Kalam that the 'Rastrapati Bhavan' should not be 'degenerated'.

Mr Bardhan said Left-supported UPA presidential candidate Pratibha Patil would 'bring glory' to the post of the President once she was elected.

Participating in a meeting organised by the state CPI here, Mr Bardhan said ''the President was not elected to write novels, poems, stories and to talk about scientific research. The President was called upon in the country to take decisions on political issues which affects socio and political lives of the people''.

Pointing out that the country's political system was going into complex situation, he said the ''highest post requires more politial knowledge to tackle the problems in future.'' ''The President should have knowledge on the political system of the country and not on the science and other research oriented subjects,'' he added.

Alleging that the Opposition parties were indulging in mudslinging on Ms Patil by raising 'personal' issues to malign her image, Mr Bardhan said Ms Patil,being a state minister, Parliament member and a Governor of a state, has a good track record in her political career.

Pointing out that the NDA and the then Prime Minister AB Vajpayee have not supported KR Narayanan for second term and now the same people were seeking help to elect Kalam , he said '' how can the Left parties support Kalam for second term, who was supported and backed by the NDA.'' Fielding of Ms Patil in the Prez contest was itself indicating the empowerment of women and her election to the post could be the first step for providing 33 per cent reservation to women in legislative bodies, he said.

UNI