New Delhi: The farmers’ protest on Delhi borders for over two months echoed in Parliament on Friday as Congress MP Ravneet Bittu raised slogans in their favour during President Ram Nath Kovind address.
Bittu earlier arrived in the Central Hall and took a seat. During the President’s address to the members of both the Houses, he first shot videos on his mobile phone and then stood up to assert that “what is happening with farmers is not good”.
The Lok Sabha MP from Ludhiana in Punjab spoke about the government’s policies related to farmers, mentioning the three new farm laws enacted in September 2020. He then appealed to the Union government to repeal the three laws, one of the main demands of the protesters.
After speaking for some time, Bittu twice raised the slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. Before moving out of the Central Hall, he again shouted ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’.
Along with the Congress, 17 opposition parties had announced boycott of Kovind’s address during Parliament’s Budget Session to express solidarity with farmers, who have been protesting on the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and other places since November 26 in support of their demands.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that no seat was allotted in Bittu’s name. “He entered the Central Hall by saying that his party MPs have reserved seats for the event,” Joshi alleged.
In his address, the President described the Republic Day violence in Delhi during the ‘tractor rally’ by the farmers as “very unfortunate” and said: “The recent acts of dishonouring the national flag and showing disrespect on the Republic Day are unfortunate. While the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression it is also expected that we abide by laws and rules with equal sincerity.”
