Budget Session: Loud Ruckus In Parliament As President Kovind Lauds CAA

The iconic Central Hall of Parliament was filled loud uproar after President Ram Nath Kovind lauded the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act during his Budget Session speech on Friday. The Opposition members raised slogans and protested against the mentioning of the CAA. “I am happy that the wish of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi has been fulfilled through the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act by both the Houses of Parliament,” President Kovind said. Earlier, without mentioning the CAA row, the President had also raised concerns over violent protests. “My government is clearly of the view that mutual discussions and debates further strengthen democracy. At the same time, any kind of violence in the name of protest weakens the society and the country,” President Kovind said during his joint address.

The statement gains significance as several cities across India are witnessing severe protests against the citizenship law. The remark comes a day after a teenager opened fire during the Jamia protests in south Delhi. The Opposition slammed the government saying that on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary, a teen was radicalised to a point of such a violent act. A Jamia student was injured in the shooting, which was captured live on news channels.  

The nation-wide agitation erupted after the Narendra Modi government passed the contentious legislation in Parliament on December 11 last year. Two days later, President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent and making it a law on December 13. The Citizenship Act grants Indian nationality to Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs who fled Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan in half the time of other groups if they can argue they suffered religious discrimination in their country of origin.