The discussion on the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha has pitted the opposition benches against the Narendra Modi government. Though the motion was brought against the government on the Manipur issue, both treasury and opposition benches rallied against each other over a range of issues.
The discussion was initiated by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi who said Prime Minister Modi should break his silence on Manipur issue.
“If Manipur is burning, then India is burning. It would have been good if the prime minister had spoken in the House. We were forced to bring a no-confidence motion to make Modi speak. Why has he not visited Manipur like Rahul Gandhi or other alliance members did? He took 80 days to speak and, that too, for just 30 seconds,” Gogoi said and asked why the government has not sacked the chief minister of the state.
Speaking during the discussion, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the motion was brought in at a wrong time and in a wrong manner. He said the prime minister's stature has risen across the world, and highlighted the good work done by the government in the last nine years, particularly in the northeast.
“The Congress and other opposition parties will regret in future for the wrong timing of the motion,” Rijiju said. “You have kept name INDIA for your coalition, but you are working against Bharat.”
The minister even alleged that the current situation in Manipur is a legacy of the previous Congress government.
Earlier, MP Nishikant Dubey had initiated the discussion from the BJP side. He hit out at the Congress for bringing the no-confidence motion, saying it was against the poor as Prime Minister Modi was working for the poor.
Dubey noted Modi's remarks that the opposition brought the no-confidence motion against his government to test the confidence of its own alliance members in each other. He then went on to recount the past incidents when many alliance members stood against each other and still continue to oppose each other in several states.
INDIA alliance partner NCP's member Supriya Sule hit out at the BJP for “toppling” various elected governments. “In nine years, you have toppled nine state governments. You talk of doubling incomes, but whose incomes have been doubled? They talk of Vande Bharat, but it is not for the poor. There is inflation, unemployment, malnourishment... This government is anti-farmer, which is why we have no confidence in this government," she said.
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said the violence in Manipur is state-sponsored and that the incidents against women have made them hang their heads in shame.
RSP MP N.K. Premachandran, too, questioned the PM’s silence on the issue. He said though the state was a fit case for imposition of President Rule, he is not in favour of invoking Article 366 to dismiss a state government. So, the chief minister should be sacked, he said and demanded that an all party meeting under a cabinet minister visit the state at the earliest.
Congress MP Manish Tewari, apart from raising Manipur issue, also referred to cross-border infiltration in the north east.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) expressed concern over the situation in Manipur, but opposed the motion saying that such motions had not yielded anything in the past. Party MP Pinaki Misra also demanded that the government bring the women’s reservation bill.
“If there is anything in which I feel that this government lacks the confidence of this House, it is that they've not brought the women's reservation bill despite being fully empowered to do so. They have all the numbers and larger unanimity among members.
The discussion will continue on a Wednesday when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi are expected to reply to the motion.
