Sources have stated that Meira Kumar, the opposition's nominee for the presidential election, on Monday deplored the "atmosphere of fear" prevailing in the country and insisted she was fighting for "freedom of expression and freedom of press". Meanwhile when terming the incidents of lynching of people over suspected cow slaughter or consumption of beef "extremely unfortunate", and pitched for a consensus to end that atmosphere of fear.
Kumar, who was in Hyderabad to canvass support for her presidential bid, told journalists that "There is so much of fear about what one should eat. There is fear about what one should say. She is also fighting for freedom of expression, freedom of press".
Moreover the former Lok Sabha speaker said she is "not alone" in
the fight and that she had the support of a number of parties and also a large
number of countrymen and it is extremely unfortunate. It pains me and pains all
of us, these instances of lynching because, this atmosphere cannot go on and
had made a pitch for due respect to be shown to Dalits and the poor.
