NEW DELHI: Setting the ball rolling for the three-day debate on a no-confidence motion against the Modi government, Opposition MPs on Tuesday demanded the immediate resignation of Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh and the restoration of peace in the state.
Initiating the debate, Congress leader Gaurav lashed out at the government saying the Opposition alliance, INDIA, was forced to move a no-trust motion to break Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘vow of silence’ on the issue.
Both the Centre and the state governments have failed to maintain law and order, he charged and sought to know why it took the PM 80 days to talk about Manipur. “As the head of the state, PM’s words carry weight and it will send a message to the people in Manipur that the country stands with them,” Gogoi said, adding the Opposition wanted the PM to visit Manipur, lead an all-party delegation and hold meetings with various stakeholders there.
The six-hour-long debate saw heated and bitter exchanges between both the Opposition and Treasury benches. Though freshly reinstated Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was expected to open the debate, the party fielded Gogoi in a last-minute change of strategy. The no-trust motion was moved by Gogoi on July 26.
BJP leaders were caught off guard as Rahul’s name was struck off the list of speakers just a few minutes before the session began. The surprise move evoked sharp responses from the treasury. “We were expecting Rahul to speak first. Did he develop cold feet?” asked Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
Leading the offensive, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey took potshots at Rahul and Sonia Gandhi. “No-confidence motion has been brought. Sonia Gandhi is sitting here and I have the utmost respect for her. She has to protect her son and son-in-law. That’s why this motion has been brought,” he charged.
While the Opposition’s strategy was to keep the focus of the debate on Manipur, the government opted to keep the pressure on the INDIA alliance. DMK’s T R Baalu said, “More than 140 people have been killed in Manipur. INDIA parties went there and understood what had happened.”
Taking on the Opposition, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the INDIA parties will regret bringing the motion because it comes at the ‘wrong time and wrong manner’, at a time India’s achievements are appreciated globally.
Cong plan to pit Rahul against Modi tomorrow
According to senior leaders in the Congress, the party deviated from its initial plan of fielding Rahul after sensing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not present in the House. The thinking in the party is to pit Rahul against Modi on August 10, the last day of the debate, when the PM is expected to reply to the debate