MPs belonging to Opposition parties protested in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Parliament House complex after boycotting President Ramnath Kovind’s address to the joint session. The BJP termed the Opposition’s stand as unfortunate.
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said boycotting President’s address doesn’t mean insulting him. “We are standing with farmers and demanding that farm laws be taken back. It is our biggest reason behind boycotting the address. We will debate his speech when there is a Motion of Thanks on it,” Chowdhury said.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said it was really unfortunate that the entire Opposition boycotted the Presidential address. “President is above political differences. He’s the Constitutional Head. Respecting him in his address is healthy practice of democracy. Unfortunate that Opposition, especially the Congress who governed this country for 50 years, boycotted it. What tradition are they establishing?,” he asked.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh said the farm laws should be repealed. “We protested against the President’s address and raised slogans in support of farmers. We were not allowed inside the Central Hall, so we raised slogans at its gate. Farmers are being called traitors. So, we boycotted the address,” Singh added.
Left MPs separately marched near Parliament demanding justice for farmers. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said Kovind’s speech was misleading. Yechury said to say that the three farm laws were properly discussed is a gross misrepresentation of facts. “These ‘important farm bills’ were passed in a din, not allowing any discussion, negating voting and suspending MPs who demanded a vote.”
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All this in a tearing hurry in the midst of a raging pandemic. All parliamentary procedures were violated, refusing parliamentary committees’ right to scrutiny, winter session cancelled yet claim passage after ‘extensive deliberations’,” he added.