AAP to boycott President's address to joint sitting of parliament over farmers protest

A day before start of Budget Session of Parliament, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Thursday said his party will boycott president's address to joint sitting of both houses over ongoing farmers protest.

Apart from AAP, 16 opposition parties have decided to boycott president's address in solidarity with farmers protesting new farm laws.

16 parties that will boycott President Ram Nath Kovind's address on Friday are Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, National Conference, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, Indian Union Muslim League, RSP, Peoples Democratic Party, MDMK, Kerala Congress (M) and All India United Democratic Front.

" Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will boycott President Ram Nath Kovind's address on Friday in Parliament ahead of budget session over ongoing farmers protest," Singh said. AAP has four MPs -- Sanjay Singh, N D Gupta, Bhagwant Mann and Sushil Gupta.

16 opposition parties have demanded an independent probe into Centre's role in violence that shook national capital during farmers' tractor parade on Republic Day.

y also demanded repeal of three farm laws and criticised central government for remaining unresponsive to demands of lakhs of farmers protesting against agri laws.