Budget Session 2020: Opposition protests President Kovind’s linking CAA, Mahatma Gandhi

Budget Session 2020: President Ramnath Kovind praised the government for taking historic decisions like the Citizenship Amendment Act, Ayodhya verdict, abrogation of Article 370, the opening of Kartarpur Corridor and others.

President Ramnath Kovind started the Budget session 2020 by addressing Members of Parliament on Friday. In his speech, President Kovind talked about the achievements of the government and lauded the Modi government for its schemes, historic decisions and amendments in laws.

On the burning and debatable citizenship law, President Kovind said the Citizenship Amendment Act was Mahatma Gandhi’s wish. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, President Kovind said Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and other religious minorities who stayed in Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) should be welcomed to India if they come seeking refuge.

President Kovind said he is happy the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha had passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) to make it a law. On the recent increase in violence during protests, he said any incident of violence in the name of protests weakens society and the nation, adding the Government believes in discussions and debates that strengthen democracy.

He praised the government for resolving the long time pending Ayodhya title suit, the abrogation of Article 370, the opening of Kartarpur Corridor and other key decisions. The President congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, asserting that they will now benefit like the other parts of the country. Development activity will take pace and both the union territories will prosper significantly, said the President.

When BJP MPs thumped their desks to the praise lavished on the government, the President paused his speech. Members of the Opposition took this opportunity to shout shame-shame for the linking of CAA to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

Barring former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, no other Opposition leader was in the front row. The others had boycotted the day to mark their protest. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi too accompanied her MPs at the back in solidarity with the protest.

The country is awash with protests against the CAA and the National Population Register, which has sharply divided people. Though there are supporters of CAA, they seem to be less in numbers compared to the camp that is against the new law. Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh has been the centre of protests against the CAA and they have been holding their protest since December 15, the protest is showing no sign of being called back despite the Supreme Court giving notice to the Centre on pleas challenging the constitutionality of the law.