First day of debate on no confidence motion against Modi Government in Lok Sabha recorded three questions from the Opposition for the Prime Minister on the issue of Manipur violence. However the Treasury Bench said that timing of the motion is wrong.
The debate will continue on Wednesday and Thursday too, and will end with reply by the Prime Minister.
Initiating the debate after moving the motion, Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi said the opposition bloc INDIA was forced to bring the no-confidence motion against the government to break Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “vow of silence” on Manipur. He alleged that a government which talks about “one India has created two Manipurs — one living in hills and the other in the valley”.
“Manipur demands justice. Martin Luther King Jr had said injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. If Manipur is burning, whole of India is burning, if Manipur is divided, country is divided. It was our demand that as the leader of the country, Prime Minister Modi should come to the House and speak about Manipur. However, he kept a maun vrat (vow of silence) that he will neither speak in the Lok Sabha nor in the Rajya Sabha,” Gogoi said.
The opposition block posed three questions: Why Modi has not visited Manipur, why it took 80 days for the PM to speak and why Manipur CM has not been dismissed.
Starting the debate from the government’s side, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that this is not a no-confidence motion against the government but it has been brought by the opposition to test the confidence of its own alliance members in each other. In his remarks, Dubey also raised the issue of the Supreme Court staying Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in the ‘Modi surname’ remark case following which his Lok Sabha membership was restored.
“There was such a brouhaha over Rahul Gandhi’s return to Parliament but where had he gone.He was here in the Budget session. The Supreme Court has not acquitted him. He has also said he will not say sorry. He says I am not (VD) Savarkar. He can never be Savarkar,” Dubey said.
In a dig at Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who were both present in the House, Dubey said she was following the traditional Indian woman’s way of “Bete ko set karna hai, damaad ko bhent karna hai (Has to set her son, and gift to her son-in-law)“.
‘Destroying federalism’
TMC MP Saugata Roy charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is destroying federalism in the country. “West Bengal is a victim because (Home Minister) Amit Shah went and said Agli baar 200 par’ (we will get 200 sets in West Bengal in the polls) but they did not even get 80 seats so they have stopped all money for MNREGA which amounts to ₹7,300 crore and PM Awas Yojna which comes to ₹8,400 crore,” he said.
NCP MP Supriya Sule demanded the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister. “What happened in Manipur is shameful. I demand the Chief Minister should resign immediately. Can you allow this to happen and shame the women of this country? Ask your conscience how you can support this government. How can you allow this?” she said.
RSP’s N K Premchandran said this is a fit case for the use of Article 356 to impose President’s Rule for failure of the law and order machinery in the State. Not removing the Chief Minister is an indication that the Centre is indirectly supporting the action or inaction of the state government, the MP alleged.