Left boycotts President's address to Parliament

NEW DELHI: Members of Left parties today boycotted President Pranab Mukherjee's address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament and staged demonstration inside the complex in solidarity with the two-day nationwide strike called by all trade unions.

Carrying placards, MPs of CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc gathered outside the main gate of Parliament near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and raised slogans against the "anti-people" policies of the government.

They blamed the UPA government for rising prices and growing unemployment, protesting its moves to privatise profit-making PSUs and demanding wage revision for various sections of employees and workers.

Later, the Left MPs also boycotted the President's address to the joint sitting of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.