Budget session of Parliament set to get off to a rocky start on Friday

18 Opposition parties to boycott President's address in solidarity with farmers

The Budget Session of Parliament that begins on Friday is set to get off to a rocky start as 18 Opposition parties announced on Thurs­day that they will boycott the President’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses in solidarity with farmers protesting against the three Union laws.

Announcing the decision, Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said the 16 parties also demanded an independent probe into the Centre’s role in the violence that shook the national capital during the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said this was “most