Farm Laws Paused, Govt Will Respect SC Order, Says Prez Kovind, Terms Jan 26 Violence as Unfortunate

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday defended the Centre’s three agri laws, saying they had been paused by the Supreme Court and the government would respect the order.

Addressing the joint session of Parliament, which was boycotted by the Opposition in solidarity with protesting farmers, Kovind said the government was trying to tackle misgivings over the laws.

“My government wants to make it clear that before the formation of the three new agricultural laws, there was no reduction in the rights and facilities which were under the old system. Rather, through these agricultural reforms, the government has given new rights to farmers as well as new rights,” he said.

On the farm laws, he said they were passed after extensive deliberations and had “immediately benefited” 10 crore small farmers.

The President also termed the January 26 violence in Delhi “unfortunate”, saying: “Farmers recently carried out a tractor rally. However, there was violence during the protests and there were incidents of insult to the national flag at Red Fort on Republic Day. This was very unfortunate.” “If the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also reaches us to take laws and rules seriously,” he said.

Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre’s three farm laws. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day.

During the address, some opposition MPs, including Congress’s Ravneet Singh Bittu, raised slogans like ”Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” and demanded that the laws be cancelled.

The President also touched upon other issues such as the tensions with China, India’s war against coronavirus and vaccine diplomacy.

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