NEW DELHI: Amid the impasse in Parliament over Manipur situation, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday submitted a notice for no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha.
The decision to bring a no-confidence motion was taken at a meeting of opposition I.N.D.I.A alliance parties held on Tuesday. Gogoi represents Kaliabor constituency in Assam and is an MP from the northeast region.
Opposition MPs said that they know the numbers are in favour of the government in Lok Sabha but no-confidence motion is a way to seek reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various issues including the violence in Manipur.
“This No Confidence Motion is a political move with a political purpose – a political move which will bring results…The No Confidence Motion will compel him (Prime Minister) to come to the Parliament. We need a discussion on the issues of the country, especially on Manipur, inside the Parliament. Forget the numbers, they know the numbers and we know the numbers..,” CPI MP Binoy Viswam said.
Manickam Tagore, Congress Whip in Lok Sabha said INDIA alliance is together and it had proposed the idea of no-confidence motion. “Yesterday it was decided. Today, Congress party’s leader is moving it. We wanted to break the arrogance of Mr Modi. He is behaving as an arrogant person – not to come to the Parliament and make a statement on Manipur…We feel that it is our duty to use this last weapon,” he said.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha said that some parliamentary procedures are used to have a long-duration discussion and to compel the government to give a reply.
“Many a time in India’s Parliamentary history, critical instruments of debate, dialogue and discussion within Parliament are exercised. Regardless of the outcome of those instruments and motions, they are exercised with the sole objective of a long-duration discussion on an important issue subsequent to which the PM of India is compelled to come to Parliament and respond to the issues raised by the people and the Members of the Lok Sabha,” he said.
“I think these parliamentary instruments actually strengthen India’s democracy and must be exercised time again and again to pressurise the government to come before the Lok Sabha and answer the questions,” he added.
Opposition parties have been protesting in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha over their demand for a detailed discussion on the Manipur violence and statement from the Prime Minister on the issue. They have been giving adjournment motion notices.
The two Houses have seen repeated adjournments since the commencement of monsoon session of Parliament on July 20. Government has proceeded with some legislative business amid opposition sloganeering.
Congress sources said that Gaurav Gogoi represents a consituency in the northeast and his giving notice for no-confidence motion symbolises the thrust that the opposition is laying on Manipur, the state which has faced ethnic violence. (ANI)
