Full text: President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to joint sitting of Parliament

by

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: January 31, 2020 1:33:39 pm

Budget Session 2020 Live: President Ram Nath Kovind addresses joint session of Parliament on Friday. (Source: Twitter/@BJP4India)

President Ram Nath Kovind Friday hailed the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as “historic”, but sidestepped references to NRC, while addressing the joint session of both houses of Parliament sparking protests from the opposition. “The Citizenship Amendment Act is a historic law. It has fulfilled wishes of our founding fathers including Mahatma Gandhi,” he said. He also said that debate and discussion on any issue strengthen democracy while violence during protests weaken it.

However, his omission of reference to the NRC holds significance in wake of the fact that President had announced Modi government’s decision to “implement the process of ‘National Register of Citizens’ on priority basis” in his address to the joint sitting at the inauguration of 17th Lok Sabha on June 20 last year.