Opposition Calls President’s Address a ‘Recycled Ritual’ With No Substance

New  Delhi, Jan 29 : The Opposition on Wednesday mounted a sharp attack on President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament, describing it as repetitive and detached from ground realities.

The address, delivered on the opening day of the Budget Session, outlined the government’s priorities on economic reforms, employment, national security and welfare programmes, while invoking historical figures and themes of regional pride ahead of crucial state elections.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of treating the address as a routine exercise. He said the speech is cleared annually by the Union Cabinet and presented as a “recycled ritual”, repeating familiar claims without transparency or accountability. Kharge also criticised the repeated use of the slogan “Viksit Bharat”, arguing that it lacks defined objectives, timelines or measurable outcomes.

He further alleged that the government’s development narrative stood in contrast to its policies, claiming that flagship schemes such as MGNREGA had been weakened, affecting livelihoods for millions of workers.

Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose said the address reflected what she described as denial within the ruling establishment. She argued that rising income inequality and currency pressures demanded greater self assessment rather than celebratory messaging.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai also criticised the speech, saying it ignored pressing national concerns and relied on misleading assertions. Questioning claims of poverty reduction, he pointed to the continued distribution of subsidised food grains to a large section of the population as evidence of economic distress.

The remarks underscore growing Opposition resistance to the government’s narrative as Parliament prepares for an intense Budget Session.