Prez Kovind defends DeMo, Rafale deal, hails surgical strikes

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 31

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday defended the inclusion of the Rafale jet purchase in the Indian Air Force fleet, saying his government did not believe in neglecting the country’s defence needs.

In his address to the joint session of Parliament ahead of the start of the Budget session today, President Ram Nath Kovind also hailed demonetisation as the BJP Government’s defining move against corruption and black money.

Both demonetisation and Rafale purchases have been questioned by the Opposition parties led by the Congress which has demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe into the Rafale purchase agreement between India and France.

“My government believes that neglecting the country’s defence needs even for a moment is detrimental to the present as well as future of the country. The new agreements relating to defence sector signed last year, purchase of new defence equipment and indigenous production within the country under the ‘Make in India’ initiative have all helped in boosting  the morale of the defence forces and  increasing the country’s military self-reliance. After a gap of many decades, the Indian Air Force is preparing  to welcome, in the coming months, its new generation ultra-modern fighter aircraft Rafale and strengthen its strike capability,” the President said, hailing surgical strikes by the Indian Army and the government’s move to implement the one rank, one pension, a four-decade long pending matter.

On demonetisation the President said: “Demonetisation was a defining moment in the government’s war on corruption and black money. This decision struck at the very root of the parallel economy thriving on black money; and the money outside the formal system was brought within the ambit of nation’s economy.”

He said the action of the government broke the back of the forces destabilising the country; and the systems sustaining the flow of black money. 

“The registration of 3 lakh and 38 thousand dubious shell companies responsible for flow of black money has been annulled by the government. The directors of these companies have also been prohibited from holding such offices again,” President Kovind added in his hour-long address.

The President while congratulating the government for its pro-people, pro-women and pro-farmer policies also stressed the importance of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill which the Opposition parties have vowed to block in the Rajya Sabha after its passage in the Lok Sabha in the last session.

“The Citizenship Amendment Bill will help in the securing of Indian citizenship by those victims who were persecuted and were compelled to seek refuge in India. These people cannot be blamed since they were victims of circumstances,” President said, indicating government’s “strong will” to move forward despite tensions in the northeast over the law.

The President further mentioned as big achievements of the government the provision for capital punishment in case of heinous crimes like rape of minors. 

Extending his best wishes to first-time voters, who will participate in the upcoming LS polls, the President said the government was working hard to liberate Muslim daughters from a life of fear and anxiety.

“My government is striving hard to get the Triple Talaq Bill passed by the Parliament.

Similarly, grant of Constitutional status to the ’Other Backward Classes Commission’ demonstrates my government’s commitment towards social justice and a historic decision has been taken in the last Winter Session of Parliament to pass the 103^rd Amendment to the Constitution to extend the benefit of reservation to the poor belonging to the general category,” the President said.

He said the move won’t affect existing quotas.

“To ensure that this new dispensation has no impact on the existing reservation, the number of seats in educational institutions are being increased proportionately,” President said.

He earlier hailed surgical strikes by the Army, with the House bursting in thunderous applause at the mention of strikes and later at the mention of Rafale induction into the Army.

The address marked the start of the last session of the BJP Government ahead of the next General Election, with the President calling the upcoming polls “the biggest festival of democracy”.

Congress condemns President’s address

The Congress on Thursday condemned the President’s address, saying it’s an insult to the intelligence of Indians

“The address hails demonetisation which wrecked the rural economy and small industry, and this is insulting to poor Indians who slog for a living,” Congress leader Anand Sharma said.

Sharma said it’s strange that the President should mention surgical strikes across the border ahead of the LS polls because such strikes have happened in the past

Sharma said: “Have surgical strikes reduced terror attacks or reduced civilian and forces casualties? No.”