Former PM Deve Gowda says he won't attend Prez's joint address

Former Prime Minister H D DeveGowda on Friday said he would not attend President Ram NathKovind's joint address to Parliament in solidarity with thefarmers agitating against the contentious farm laws.

''In solidarity with my farmer brothers fightingagainst the three #FarmLaws, I have decided, after consultingmy party @JanataDal_S units, not to attend the President'sjoint address of Parliament today,'' the JD(S) supremo, a RajyaSabha member, tweeted.

The opposition parties led by Congress and backed bythe Left parties and a few regional parties decided onThursday not to attend Kovind's joint address.

The farm laws have been a bone of contention eversince they were was passed.

Many farmers' associations have been agitating for thepast two months.

On January 26, the protest turned violent in Delhileaving a large number of policemen and agitators injured.PTIGMS SSPTI PTIPTI PTI