Delhi: The budget session that began on Friday had the uniqueness of being anticipated for political reasons, probably a first-time occurrence as the economy usually comes before politics. Even as protesters and the opposition waited for the president's stand on the impact that Citizenship Amendment Act has had on the country, Ram Nath Kovind praised the Modi government's policies to date in so many words.
I am happy that in the last 7 months, Parliament has set new standards in conducting its business. The performance during the first session of this Lok Sabha has set a new record in the last seven decades: President Kovind pic.twitter.com/uh8dHavxOE
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 31, 2020
The Presidential address, which came before the budget was presented, began with Ram Nath Kovind praising the precedents set by this parliament. He went on to praise 'the faith reposed by the people of our country in our democratic institutions' and 'the maturity displayed by the countrymen after the Supreme Court's verdict on Ram Janmabhoomi'.
The president told the people to "always remember that we are first and foremost citizens of this country, and leaders or supporters of a particular ideology thereafter. The prestige of our country should be more important than our party loyalties". Further, he praised the free reign the security forces were given and cited it as the reason for the suppression of terrorism. He talked about the measures taken to strengthen relationships with neighbouring countries and the inroads the government had made in conserving the environment. It may be noted that the country had imposed trade blocks on Pakistan and Malaysia over political differences and the diplomats in Brussels have been negotiating with their counterparts in the EU for a kinder opinion about the CAA protests that have gripped the country.
While many lauded the president's speech and called it a comprehensive summary of all the works the government had undertaken, the Opposition parties and several members of the general public expressed ire and disappointment over what was termed as subservience. There were cries of "shame, shame!" following the president's comment that the Citizenship Amendment Act was a historic move.
Kovind also condemned the atrocities against minorities in Pakistan and urged the international community to take necessary action, but did not comment on the fact that over 30 people had died in police-involved scuffles since the beginning of CAA protests in December 2019.