Opposition parties on Tuesday criticised President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint session of parliament alleging that the speech was like the "first chapter" of the ruling BJP's manifesto for 2024 and key issues related to price control, communal harmony and women were "missing".
While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said it is the "government's statement that has come through the President" and there is nothing new in it, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien said that while it is "convention" that the President's address is "written" by the government of India, key issues were absent in her speech.
Shiv Sena Deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Priyanka Chauturvedi said that the President’ speech has reflections of the ruling party BJP’s election manifesto for the 2024 Lok sabha polls. “It was an election speech prepared by BJP,” Chaturvedi said.
Kharge and his party colleague in Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary in Lok Sabha could not make it out to the President’s address at Central Hall of the Parliament.
They along with party colleagues were stuck in Srinagar’s due to hostile weather. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was present in the Parliament for the President’s speech that marked the beginning of the Budget Session 2023. Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti (formerly TRS) and AAP did not attend the President's address.
"If the government is claiming that the country has progressed so much, then why do the poor people of the country continue to suffer due to unemployment and high inflation," said Kharge and alleged that the schemes "renamed" by the Modi government are not reaching the poorest of the poor.
Chowdhury on his part reacted there was nothing on unemployment in the President's speech. “Still, we respect the President’s Address,” he said
"As is convention, President's Address to both Houses of #Parliament is written by GoI. Any line in speech about controlling prices, creating jobs, strengthening (fiscal) federalism, promoting communal harmony, passing Women‘s Reservation Bill? Oh and 2 miserly lines about the North East," said Brien.
CPI MP Binoy Viswam alleged the empowerment of women, youths, Dalits and tribals was only on paper. "The historic Central Hall witnessed the President's address, maybe for the last time.
Everything related to freedom struggle and Constitution are being dumped. The address seems to be the first chapter of the ruling party manifesto for 2024. Words are lovely; truths are not..!" he said on Twitter.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that President Droupadi Murmu doesn't contest elections but it looks like the BJP government is conducting its next election campaign through her. "The entire speech was an election speech trying to praise the government for everything it has done and skipping over the bits it hasn't done so well," Tharoor said. "The content of the speech was explicitly a political speech," he added.
BRS MP K Keshava Rao said that the President's speech did not mention the issues of unemployment and inflation in the country. “We heard the President’s address today, but there was no mention of issues of unemployment and inflation. I suggest to the President to advise the PM to bring an act called the ‘Adani Act’ as there is only crony capitalism now,” he said.