Oppn to boycott Prez speech, seek probe into R-Day riots
A day before the start of the Budget Session of Parliament, 18 Opposition parties led by the Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena and the TMC on Thursday decided to boycott the president’s address to the joint sitting of both the Houses in solidarity with the farmers protesting the new farm laws.
Announcing the decision, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Opposition parties also demanded an independent probe into the Centre’s role in the violence that shook the national capital during the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day. Opposition parties also demanded repeal of three farm laws and criticised central government for remaining unresponsive to demands of protesting farmers.
The parties that will boycott the president’s address on Friday are the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, National Conference, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, Indian Union Muslim League, RSP, Peoples Democratic Party, MDMK, Kerala Congress (M) and the All India United Democratic Front.
“Prime Minister and BJP government remain arrogant, adamant and undemocratic in their response. Shocked by this insensitivity of the government, the Opposition political parties, reaffirming the collective demand for the repeal of the anti-farmer laws and in solidarity with the Indian farmers, have decided to boycott President’s address to both houses of Parliament on Friday, January 29, 2021,” said a joint statement issued by parties.
“We also express our sadness over the injuries sustained by Delhi Police personnel while handling the difficult situation. But, we believe that an impartial investigation will reveal the central government’s nefarious role in orchestrating those events,” parties said in joint statement. “Those responsible for violence should be punished and taken to task. Government would have to take responsibility that had it not shown arrogance and taken the laws back, these incidents would not have taken place,” Azad said. “We believe that the government has miserably failed in handling farmers agitation,” the Congress leader said.