31 January, 2019- President Ram Nath Kovind addressed legislators from the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha in the Central Hall of Parliament on Thursday on the first day of the Budget Session. He claimed the country was passing through a difficult period before the 2014 General Elections, but the present government came out with an initiative to create a “new India”. The president backed the Centre’s Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has met with stiff opposition from political parties and people in the northeastern states. The president also praised the introduction of reservations for the poor among upper castes. The government has taken many measures for women’s welfare, like introducing a bill to make triple talaq illegal and extending the period of maternity leave, he added. He also praised the government’s 2016 decision to demonetise old currency notes and said the Centre has taken several steps to bring back black money stashed abroad. The President also listed out and praised several other government initiatives.
Guest - Ashok Tandon, Senior Journalist,
K. A. Badarinath, Editor-in-Chief, Financial Chronicle,
Alok Verma, Editor-in-Chief, nyoooz.com,
P. D. T. Achary, Former Secretary General, Lok Sabha,
Anchor - Frank Rausan Pereira
