As President Ram Nath Kovind praised thecontroversial citizenship law that has provoked protests across the countryduring the speech at the budget session which started today, prolonged applauseby the ruling BJP competed with cries of "shame" by opposition members in theParliament.
Kovind said, "The father of our nation MahatmaGandhi ji had said after partition that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains andother religious minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh (East Pakistan) should begranted citizenship of India if they came seeking refuge. We must respect andhonour the wishes of the father of the nation. To that effect, I am happy thatboth houses of Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act to ensure Bapu'swishes to come true."
However, desk-thumping from the ruling party almostdrowned out the words which forced the President to pause. The opposition membersthen rose to their feet, shouting "shame".
The opposition expressed protest by avoiding thefront benches while the President addressed the joint sitting of Parliament atthe starting of the budget session.
It was seen that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the only opposition leader who sat in the first row along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top ministers.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi sat at the back insolidarity with the protesting opposition MPs.
President Kovind in his speech said that the mandatewhich his government has given is to create New India adding that that is what hisgovernment has set out to do.
Amid protests against the citizenship law, Kovind said, "Violence in the name of protests weakens country, the government believes debate strengthens democracy."
The President said, "2019 saw some landmark decisions. Parliament's decision on Jammu and Kashmir was one of them. I congratulate the people of both union territories – J&K and Ladakh. They will now benefit from all that the rest of the country benefits from. The pace at which development activity will take place in the two union territories will also increase significantly," said the President.
He also said that more than 1,000 Fast Track Special Courts will be set up across the country to ensure speedy justice in such cases. It has also been decided to set up a Women Help Desk in every police station of the country.
"My Govt is working with sensitivity to ensuring the safety of women. In order to enhance women's safety, more than 600 One-Stop Centers have been set up in the country. A national database has been created to identify the perpetrators of crimes against women," said President Kovind.
