PRESIDENT DEFENDS NEW FARM LAWS, CONDEMNS REPUBLIC DAY VIOLENCE
President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday strongly defended the three new agri laws, saying their benefits had begun reaching 100 million small farmers instantly, and condemned as “very unfortunate” the Republic Day violence and “dishonour” to the tricolour during the tractor parade by the protesting farm unions here.
In his customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament that marks the start of the Budget session, Kovind, without naming China, also slammed the country for its efforts to disrupt peace at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in “utter disregard” of bilateral relations and agreements.
Hailing the security forces for foiling attempts to change the status quo at the border amid an “unprecedented escalation” in tension, Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said the government was “vigilant” and that additional forces had been deployed to safeguard India’s sovereignty.
The President’s hour-long address was boycotted by over 20 opposition parties including the Congress in support of the demand of the protesting farmers for the repeal of the three laws. Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu raised slogans like “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” during the address. Some opposition MPS were heard raising slogans in the Central Hall’s gallery.
Terming the boycott as “unfortunate”, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the opposition had violated parliamentary conventions. The government’s efforts to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and the massive vaccination drive also came in for praise from President Kovind, whose address is cleared by the Union Cabinet.
He said the country had started emerging from the economic setback suffered due to the pandemic and that this was evident from several indicators. With his speech outlining the government’s work and agenda coming amid a lengthy agitation by farmers at Delhi’s borders, Kovind highlighted the Modi dispensation’s efforts to give a fillip to agriculture, especially small farmers, and also dwelt at length about its measures to boost economy, infrastructure, industry and helping the poor.
He also noted that various parties in the past had supported measures that are part of the new farm reform laws enacted last September.
Criticising the violence that marred the farmers’ protest on Republic Day, he said if the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also teaches us to take laws and rules seriously.
Noting that the Supreme Court had put the implementation of the three laws on hold, Kovind said the government will respect whatever is the former’s decision.
“My government has always respected freedom of expression and holding of peaceful agitations in a democratic set-up. However, the recent acts of dishonouring the national flag and showing disrespect to the auspicious occasion of the Republic Day are unfortunate,” he said.
The President also said the rights and facilities available under the system prevailing before the enactment of the three new laws were not affected in any way. “Rather, through these agricultural reforms, the government has provided new facilities to the farmers and has empowered them.”
The need of the hour in the agricultural sector is to focus attention on the small and marginal farmers who own only less than two hectares and comprise more than 80 per cent of the farmers in the country, he said, putting their numbers at over 100 million.
“My government accords priority to these small and marginal farmers, too. In order to provide expenditure support to these farmers, almost ~113,000 crore have been directly transferred to their bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi.”
Against the backdrop of the Chinese aggression in eastern Ladakh, Kovind paid tributes to the 20 soldiers, who lost their lives in a clash with the Chinese army at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. India and China are locked in a tense military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last.
The President expressed sadness that in the fight against the pandemic, India had lost many countrymen and paid homage to his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee and six MPS who passed away last year.