Farm Laws Paused, Government Will Respect Supreme Court Order, Says President

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has paused three controversial laws at the core of farmer protests and the government will respect the order, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Friday, while strongly defending the measures. The government is trying to tackle misgivings over the laws, he said, while addressing a joint sitting of the Parliament on the opening day of the Budget session, NDTV reported.

The address was boycotted by 19 opposition parties in support of the farmers’ demand that the three laws be repealed.

The President also condemned as “very unfortunate” the violence during the Republic Day tractor rally by farmers in Delhi.

“Farmers recently carried out a tractor rally. However, there was violence during the protests and there were incidents of insult to the national flag at Red Fort on Republic Day. This was very unfortunate,” President Kovind was quoted as saying.

“If the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also teaches us to take laws and rules seriously,” he said.

On the farm laws, he said they were passed after extensive deliberations and had “immediately benefited” 10 crore small farmers.