‘President and I live in two different countries’: How Opposition reacted to Murmu’s speech

The budget session of the Parliament commenced today with the joint address of President Droupadi Murmu. In her speech, President Murmu emphasised that the PM Modi-led government is working on all-round development. However, the President’s speech faced backlash from the Opposition parties. Congress leader Karti Chidambaram opinionated, “The President’s view of the country” and the “Country I live in” are different. 

Further, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said President “could hardly speak, poor thing.”

President Droupadi Murmu Speech

President Murmu’s address kickstarted the Budget Session.

The President of India said, “My government is working with the Saturation Approach, so nobody is left in the journey of Vikshit Bharat… We have only one aim to become Viksit Bharat.”

The President of India lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s initiatives to mitigate impacts of climate change, including releasing climate-resilient crop varieties and launching river interlinking projects to provide water to drought-affected areas.

‘President was getting very tired’

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s reaction to President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the Joint session of the Parliament on Friday stoked a controversy. She said that the President “could hardly speak, poor thing.”

“The President was getting very tired by the end…She could hardly speak, poor thing,” Sonia Gandhi told reporters.

‘President and I live in two different countries’

On President Murmu’s address, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram told ANI,” I think the President of India and I live in two different countries. The President’s view of the country she governs over and the country I live in seems to have stark differences. The President seems to celebrate success which I don’t deny is there but glossed over the harsh realities of daily life in India.”

‘Government is merely lying’

Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad targeted the BJP-led Central government saying that for the last 11 years, they have been lying, adding that nothing is going to come out of this year’s Economic Survey also.

TMC MP Kirti Azad said, “From the last 11 years, the government is merely lying. When PM Modi was candidate for Prime Minister, he made several promises that he will give ₹15 lakhs to all, 2 crores of jobs every year, half the rates of diesel and petrol. They always lie. All they do is lie. Nothing is going to come out of the Economic Survey…”

How Other Opposition leaders reacted?

Congress MP Kumari Selja said, “President’s address is meant only to talk about what the government has done. We will bring out the reality when we speak on the President’s address…”

“You can see how foreign powers next to us are getting powerful. But what is the government doing…,” she adds.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said, “The President was made to deliver a political speech. Nothing is new. Everything is only complete lie and jumla.”

Economic Survey 2024-25

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey for 2024-25 in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, soon after, both houses were adjourned for the day.

According to the Economic Survey, India’s economy is projected to grow between 6.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent in FY26.

Union Budget 2024-25

The budget will be presented on February 1. On budget day, the Finance Minister will present the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha at 11 am. The budget speech will outline the government’s fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements.