President's address 'disappointing', 'uninspiring': Anand Sharma

The President's address is far from the ground reality and tried to portray a rosy picture of the country as if there were no problems, he said

Congress MP Anand Sharma on Thursday said the President's address to the joint sitting of Parliament was "disappointing" and "uninspiring" as it did not talk about the current economic situation and job crisis.

Participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks on President's Address, the former Union minister attacked the government for creating an atmosphere of fear in the country following the enactment of the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA).

The President's address is far from the ground reality and tried to portray a rosy picture of the country as if there were no problems.

He charged the government with "a monumental mis-management of the economy" and said it has embarked on a "grand sale" of national assets created over decades to finance the revenue deficit.

The government, he said, was running away from the real issues.

According to him, the Modi government has breached the promises it had made to the people.

He also criticised the government for using the defence forces for political agenda.

On the amended citizenship law, Sharma said it was unfortunate that the government was tom-tomming the CAA as an achievement in the President's address.

"The jury is still out. The matter is pending with the Supreme Court. There is anxiety in several states," said Sharma.

From the treasury benches, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar took on the Congress party and asked how the National Population Register (NPR) was good when the UPA government brought it and became an issue when the NDA dispensation was updating it.

G V L Narasimha Rao of the BJP said Opposition parties could criticise the BJP, but should not oppose the country.