ANI :
Main Indian opposition parties have boycotted the opening day of Parliament’s budget session in solidarity with farmers engaged in a two-month standoff over new agricultural laws the government refuses to repeal.
A statement by the Congress party on Friday said 16 opposition parties boycotted the president’s address to Parliament “in full solidarity with the agitating farmers, whom the Modi government is trying to defame”.
The address to Parliament by India’s President Ram Nath Kovind listing the government’s priorities for the budget was boycotted by several opposition parties.
The budget is to be presented on Monday.
Sanjay Singh, an Aam Aadmi Party member of parliament, told India’s ANI news agency his party “protested against the president’s address and raised slogans in support of farmers”.
“We were not allowed inside the [parliament’s] central hall, so we raised slogans at its gate. Farmers are being called traitors. So, we boycotted the address,” he said.
“Farm laws should be repealed.”
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said “it is really unfortunate that the entire opposition boycotted” the president’s address.
In his address, President Kovind also described the violence on Tuesday as “unfortunate” and said people in a democracy are expected to respect the rule of law.
Main Indian opposition parties have boycotted the opening day of Parliament’s budget session in solidarity with farmers engaged in a two-month standoff over new agricultural laws the government refuses to repeal.
A statement by the Congress party on Friday said 16 opposition parties boycotted the president’s address to Parliament “in full solidarity with the agitating farmers, whom the Modi government is trying to defame”.
The address to Parliament by India’s President Ram Nath Kovind listing the government’s priorities for the budget was boycotted by several opposition parties.
The budget is to be presented on Monday.
Sanjay Singh, an Aam Aadmi Party member of parliament, told India’s ANI news agency his party “protested against the president’s address and raised slogans in support of farmers”.
“We were not allowed inside the [parliament’s] central hall, so we raised slogans at its gate. Farmers are being called traitors. So, we boycotted the address,” he said.
“Farm laws should be repealed.”
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said “it is really unfortunate that the entire opposition boycotted” the president’s address.
In his address, President Kovind also described the violence on Tuesday as “unfortunate” and said people in a democracy are expected to respect the rule of law.
