New Delhi: President Draupadi Murmu on Tuesday said that the country has a Government that is stable, fearless, decisive, working for all classes without any discrimination and giving thrust to virasat (heritage) as well as vikas (development).

In her maiden address to the joint sitting of Parliament on the first day of the Budget session she said that the Government’s relentless fight against corruption, the biggest enemy of democracy and social justice.

Opposition parties criticized alleging that the speech was like the first chapter of the ruling BJP’s manifesto for 2024 and key issues related to price control, communal harmony and women were missing. AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge said it is the Government’s statement that has come through the President and there is nothing new in it.

If the government is claiming that the country has progressed so much, then why do the poor people of the country continue to suffer due to unemployment and high inflation, he said and alleged that the schemes renamed by the Modi Government are not reaching the poorest of the poor.

Asked about the President talking about every Indian being confident and India emerging as a self-reliant, strong nation, touching new heights and emerging as a solution provider to the world under this Government, he said. I do not blame her, but it is Modi whatever he told outside, she is saying so. If it is so, why is there so much inflation, so much unemployment, why the money value has gone down and why is there so much hike in petrol/diesel prices.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien said that while it is convention that the President’s address is written by the Government of India, key issues were absent in her speech.