In his customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament that marks the start of the Budget session, Kovind also referred to the Chinese aggression on the border, and asserted that his government is vigilant and fully committed to protecting the country’s interests.

Additional forces have been deployed to safeguard India’s sovereignty, he said while paying tributes to the 20 soldiers who made supreme sacrifices in a clash with the Chinese army at the Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh in June last year. India and China are locked in a tense military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last. Meanwhile 15 political parties including congress boycott presidential speech in support of farmers protest .

He also noted that the new farm reform laws enacted in September last year have immediately benefited 10 crore small farmers, and said various parties in the past had supported these measures.

Criticising the violence which marred the farmers’ protest on the Republic Day, he said if the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also teaches us to take laws and rules seriously.

The President’s hour-long address was boycotted by over 20 opposition parties in support of the demand of the protesting farmers for the repeal of the three farm laws.

Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu raised slogans like ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ during the address and demanded repeal of the three laws. Some opposition MPs were heard raising slogans in the Central Hall’s gallery.

Noting that the Supreme Court has put the implementation of the three laws on hold, Kovind said the government will respect whatever is the decision of the apex court.

“My Government has always respected freedom of expression and holding of peaceful agitations in a democratic set up. However, the recent acts of dishonouring the National Flag and showing disrespect to the auspicious occasion of the Republic Day are unfortunate,” he said.

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Pm said India has always promoted peace among nations but no compromise on our borders .

PM speech ….

I salute them for their great sacrifice in their service to the Nation. I pay tributes to them with my heartfelt gratitude. In this difficult moment of grief, I express my condolences to the families of these Martyrs.

Today the entire Nation is with you. The country’s sympathies are with you. This supreme sacrifice of our Martyrs will not go in vain.

Whatever may be the situation and circumstances, India will firmly protect every inch of the country’s land and its self-respect.

India is culturally a peace-loving country. Our history has been that of a peace-loving country. The ideological mantra of India has been – लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनों भवन्तु।

In every era, we have wished for peace and welfare of the entire world and humanity.

We have always worked closely with our neighbours in a cooperative and friendly manner. We have always wished for their development and welfare.

Whenever there have been differences of opinion, we have always tried to ensure that those differences never turned into a dispute.

We never provoke anyone, but we also do not compromise with the integrity and sovereignty of our country.

Whenever it was needed, we have demonstrated our strength, proving our capabilities in protecting and defending the integrity and sovereignty of the country.

Sacrifice and endurance are part of our national character, but at the same time bravery and valour are also equally a part of it.

I want to assure the Nation that the sacrifice made by our soldiers will not go in vain.

India’s integrity and sovereignty is supreme for us, and no one can stop us from defending it.Nobody should have any iota of doubt about this.

India wants peace. But on provocation, India will give a befitting reply.

The country will be proud of the fact that our soldiers have been martyred while they were fighting. I urge all of you to pay homage to these sons by observing two minutes of silence.

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