Opposition Presidential candidate, Meira Kumar Sunday said that at least 17 opposition parties across India have come together in the name of ideology and principles and want to make this election as ‘an election of principles’.

While addressing a presser here at SKICC, the senior All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader said that the forthcoming presidential election is a fight of ‘principles’.

“There are different ideologies and principles in India. However, a danger is lurking on these principles and ideologies, which needs to be stopped. If that is not stopped forthwith, then it is possible that the coming days will be lost in the dark,” Kumar who was accompanied by NC president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Congress state chief, G A Mir and CPI (M) senior leader, M Y Tarigami said after holding a meeting with them.

She said that the “country despite having many religions, cultures, ideologies and languages is united only because of these principles.’’

 “So, the Presidential poll was thought as a good opportunity to tell the people of the country that there are people to talk about the things they believe in since centuries,” she said, adding that she has written to all the members of parliament, all members of various legislative assemblies of the country and appealed them to listen to their voice of conscience.

Praising Kashmir’s beauty, she said that it is a “beautiful place and as they say it is heaven on earth and she wanted an atmosphere of peace and calm here as soon as possible.’’

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said that “communalism is on the rise and several political parties have come together to stop the current situation in the country.’’

“The presidential election is a fight for making the country stronger where people of every religion and language live with dignity,” Abdullah said, in reply to a question.

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