'Most unfortunate': Pralhad Joshi slams Opposition's call to boycott President's address

After 16 opposition parties announced that they would jointly boycott the President's address during the upcoming budget session, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi slammed the move saying that the President was above 'party politics'.

Terming it as the 'most unfortunate' development during his nearly 2-decade tenure in the House, Joshi said that the events of Republic Day had been 'an assault on democracy' and were not justifiable given the multiple rounds of talks that the government had readily held with the farmers on the Farm Laws. He also added that the Government was open to holding talks with them, asking the Opposition to reconsider their decision.

"It is most unfortunate. I am in the House for 17 years. We have never boycotted the President's speech. The President is above party politics. We have given so many offers. In any democratic system, you cannot say repeal laws. We had given options. We were ready for clause by clause discussion" Joshi said.  "Whatever happened on January 26, this is an assault on democracy. Discussion took place in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. According to me, amendments are an ongoing process. They should have tried to convince the farmer leaders, being a responsible opposition. From the day Modi government took over, they are creating a hurdle in running the House," Pralhad Joshi added.

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16 political parties to boycott President's address

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad announced that 16 political parties led by the Congress are set to boycott President Ram Nath Kovind's address in the Parliament on January 29. The senior Congress leader informed that the decision was being taken over the 'forcible' passing of the Farm Laws in the Parliament.

Apart from the agrarian reforms, Azad also pointed at the economic situation of the country and the stand-off between India and China as some of the other reasons for the Opposition to boycott the President's address. Parties along the likes of Trinamool Congress, NCP, DMK, PDP, SP, RJD, and Shiv Sena, will join Congress in the boycott. 

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