As a political tango takes place over choosing the next President, political parties must remember that the President is required and expected to be apolitical. What all political parties look for from a President is that he should act within the letter and spirit of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, if such a pivotal constitutional post is held by a retired Supreme Court judge, he will act as per the ‘holy book’ — the Constitution. By and large, retired Supreme Court judges are apolitical, and discharging their constitutional duties will be child’s play for them.
K. Pradeep,
Chennai
The BJP’s move to approach the Opposition to identify a common candidate appears to be farcical. It appears to be more an attempt to insult rather than consult. The Opposition is rightly aggrieved by this hackneyed approach. There is no dearth of “acceptable candidates” as we have eminent educationists, scientists of repute, dedicated social workers, retired judges of the Supreme Court and even civil servants of impeccable integrity. If the BJP means what it says, it is easy to identify a consensus candidate. We have had precedents where Presidents were from apolitical backgrounds and brought credit to the highest constitutional office. Is it too much to hope that the BJP will rise above political considerations and follow the worthy example set by its veteran leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee?
S.V. Venkatakrishnan,
Bengaluru
