16 parties to stay away from Prez address in Parliament, seek repeal of farm laws; BJP raps Opp for disrespect; Govt urges them to reconsider decision
To register their protest over the controversial farm legislation, leaders of 16 Opposition parties on Thursday announced they will boycott President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to Parliament on Friday.
In a joint statement issued, they said they have decided to stay away from the President’s address in both the Houses of Parliament, reaffirming “the collective demand” for repeal of the farm laws and in solidarity with the agitating farmers.
Describing the Opposition parties’ move to boycott the President’s address to Parliament as the “most unfortunate”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday urged them to reconsider their decision.
Talking to reporters here, he said the issues cited by the Opposition parties for boycotting the President’s address can be raised during the debate on the motion of thanks.
He said the President was above party politics and the BJP as an Opposition party never boycotted the President’s address.
Slamming opposition parties for their decision to boycott the President’s address to Parliament, the BJP on Thursday accused them of “constitutional and moral bankruptcy”.
Among the parties signatories to the statement are Congress, NCP, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, SP, RJD, DMK, CPI, CPI(M), among others.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is not a signatory of the joint statement, has also announced that its members in the House will boycott the President’s address. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has also announced that it will boycott the President’s address over farm laws.
This will be the second time in a row when the Opposition will stay away from the President’s address — a constitutional requirement before any session of the Parliament to begin. Last year, the Opposition parties had staged a protest in front of Ambedkar statue in support of those opposing the citizenship amendment law.
The joint statement of the Opposition parties says that the farm laws were brought “without any consultations with States and farmer unions and lacked national consensus”. The parliamentary scrutiny was bypassed and the laws were pushed through muzzling the Opposition,” it said.
“The farm laws are an assault on the rights of the States and violate the federal spirit of the Constitution. If not repealed, these laws will dismantle the edifice of National Food Security that rests upon MSP, Government procurement and PDS,” the statement said accusing the Prime Minister and the BJP Government remains arrogant, adamant and undemocratic in their response.
“Shocked by this insensitivity, we, the following Opposition parties, reaffirming the collective demand for the repeal of agri-laws and in solidarity with Indian farmers have decided to boycott the President’s address in both the Houses of Parliament on January 29,” the statement reads.
The Budget Session of Parliament is being conducted in two parts. The first phase of the session will begin on January 29 with President’s address and end on February 15. The second phase will be held between March 8 and April 8. The Union Budget will be presented in Parliament on February 1.
Friday, 29 January 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
