President Kovind hails new citizenship law, calls it "historic"; slams violence in name of protests

Hailing the new Citizenship law as "historic" and a fulfilment of Mahatma Gandhi's wish, President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday deprecated any kind of violence in the name of protests, saying it weakened the society and the nation, remarks that came amid protests against the contentious law.

The President's glowing reference to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in his address to a joint sitting of Parliament drew protests from opposition members, many of whom wore black bands, with some shouting "shame shame" while BJP MPs thumped benches in support. The issue of atrocities against minorities in Pakistan was also brought up by the President.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the party's leader in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad sat in the back rows in the Central Hall of Parliament instead of the front seats allotted to them to mark their protest against the law.

Delivering his 70-minute address in Hindi which marks the start of the Parliament's Budget session, Kovind pointed out that mutual discussions and debates strengthen democracy. He also called for making this decade "India's decade" and this century "India's century".

"At the same time, any kind of violence in the name of protests weakens the society and the nation." he said without directly referring to the anti-CAA protests in the country some of which have witnessed violence.

Kovind said India has always believed in the principle of equal respect for all faiths. But at the time of Partition, "this very belief of India and of its people came under the most severe attack."
Referring to atrocities on minorities in Pakistan, the President said, "We have all seen what happened in Nankana Sahib recently. It is the responsibility of all of us to bring the atrocities being committed in Pakistan to the notice of the global community."
"The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution by two-thirds majority in both the Houses of Parliament is not only historic but has also paved the way for equitable development of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh."
"We should all strive to make every citizen conscious of and dedicated to his duties in the national interest, and ensure that this sense of responsibility becomes the guiding principle of our civic life. Come, let us together make this decade of 2020 the decade of fulfilling our duties."