NEW DELHI: Gaurav Gogoi, a prominent figure in the Congress party, said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must come to terms with the evident failure of his Double-engine governance approach in Manipur. A deliberation on the motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Modi's administration was initiated in the Lok Sabha, with Gogoi leading the discussion.
"The Prime Minister must acknowledge that his Double-engine governance model, particularly in Manipur, has proven ineffective. This reality is underscored by the unfortunate loss of 150 lives in Manipur, the destruction of approximately 5,000 homes, the displacement of around 60,000 individuals into relief camps, and the registration of approximately 6,500 FIRs," Gogoi asserted.
The Congress leader highlighted that the opposition alliance known as I.N.D.I.A. brought forth the no-confidence motion for Manipur in pursuit of justice. Gogoi emphasized, "The Chief Minister of the state, who should ideally have fostered an environment of dialogue, peace, and harmony, has, instead, taken provocative actions over the past few days that have sowed discord within society."
"We have been left with no choice but to introduce this no-confidence motion. It's not solely about numbers; it's about ensuring justice for Manipur. I, on behalf of I.N.D.I.A., have proposed the motion for the House to express its lack of confidence in the current Government. This motion originates from Manipur's desire for justice," Gogoi stressed.
Commenting on the Prime Minister's silence in the Parliament, Gogoi mentioned that the PM's commitment to a 'maun vrat' (vow of silence) has compelled the opposition to present the motion, intending to "break his silence." Gogoi raised questions about the Prime Minister's absence from Manipur and the delayed response of nearly 80 days. He also inquired about the rationale behind not taking action against the Chief Minister of Manipur.
Earlier in the day, Congress chief whip K Suresh disclosed that Rahul Gandhi, who had recently resumed his position as a Lok Sabha MP, would initiate the debate on the no-confidence motion.
Sources have indicated that a total of 12 hours has been allocated for the discussion. The ruling BJP is expected to participate in the debate for approximately seven hours, while the Congress party has been granted around one hour and 15 minutes.
Additionally, other parties such as YSRCP, Shiv Sena, JDU, BJD, BSP, BRS, and LJP have collectively received a total of two hours, proportionately divided based on their representation in the House. Smaller parties and independent MPs have been allotted a combined time limit of 1 hour and 10 minutes.
The debate on the no-confidence motion targeting the BJP-led government is slated for August 8 and 9 in the Lok Sabha, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to provide a response on August 10.
Over the past three months, Manipur has experienced heightened tensions due to ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki tribal communities. These conflicts were exacerbated when the Manipur High Court urged the state government to consider including one of these communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes.
BJP Holds Parliamentary Party Meet Ahead of Confidence Motion
Opposition Delegation Urges Immediate Action to Restore Peace in Violence-Hit Manipur
Lok Sabha to Discuss No-Confidence Motion on Aug 8,9; Reply on August 10