29 MPs give notice for 204 amendments to pressure government

New Delhi, Feb 08: The Opposition, in a bid to build pressure on the government, have given notice for 204 amendments to President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint session. The subjects on which they have sought amendments include the farmers' agitation, leaked WhatsApp chats of Arnab Goswami and the pandemic.

As many as 29 MPs from 11 parties, including the Congress, TMC, Left parties and DMK have given notices seeking amendments. A number of Opposition members have expressed regret for the President not mentioning any solution to the ongoing farmers' protests against the three farm Bills passed by Parliament in the monsoon session.

MPs Sougata Ray from the TMC, NK Premachandran (RSP), Faizal PP Mohammad (NCP), KP Subbarayan and M Selvaraj (CPI), PR Natarajan (CPM) and Congress MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Benny Behnan, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriackose, Ravneet Singh and TN Prathapan have sought a reference to the farmers' agitation.

Eden and Suresh want the speech to have a reference to the "widespread protests" and "alleged police atrocity on the farmers in Delhi and the sad loss of life of a protesting farmer".

The amendments sought by the Opposition to the President's address are seldom carried out as the treasury benches enjoy a majority in the House. The BJP enjoys a comfortable majority in this Lok Sabha.

But the Opposition parties' move assumes significance against the backdrop of their MPs disrupting the procedures during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, which is rare.

With the agitating farmers' unions keeping the movement detached from parties, moving amendments referring to the protests is "to send a political message and to build pressure on the government", said a leader.