Congress throws moral challenge for Lok Sabha members over no-confidence motion on Manipur

New Delhi: The Congress threw a moral challenge at all the Lok Sabha members saying they would have to take a personal position over the sufferings of the people in strife-torn Manipur when the House will debate and vote over the no-confidence motion moved by the grand old party against the Modi government on Wednesday.

The motion was moved by the grand old party despite the fact that the ruling BJP-led NDA has a majority in the 543-member Lok Sabha and that it was likely that the motion may be defeated during voting.

“The question is not about numbers but morality and accountability as to who let the situation in Manipur come to this pass. When the division will take place in the House, it will show who stands where over the issue of morality when it comes to Manipur. It is a sensitive state in the north-eastern region and any social disturbance has an impact on national security. There is no law and order in the state, there is no government, there is ethnic cleansing taking place. There are many such questions that only the top leadership of the government can give answers to,” Congress spokesperson and Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari said.

“The government kept saying it was ready to debate on Manipur but only wanted a short-duration discussion which would not have been just," he said. The no-confidence motion was moved by Congress member and deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, who belongs to Assam in the northeast.

Since the monsoon session of parliament started July 20, the INDIA alliance parties have been collectively demanding that PM Modi should make a statement on Manipur in either house and that there should be a detailed discussion over the burning situation in the north-eastern state where violence has continued over the past 80 days.

Tewari clarified the no-confidence motion did not belong to Congress alone but was backed by all the parties of the newly formed 26-member INDIA alliance. “We were forced to submit the no-confidence motion. The entire INDIA alliance had been requesting the prime minister to come to Parliament and make a statement on the Manipur situation. The opposition members gave separate and collective notices in both houses to adjourn regular business and take up the Manipur debate on top priority. But there was no response from the government which kept saying that home minister (Amit Shah) would reply,” said Tewari.

“The motion expresses a lack of confidence in the entire council of ministers which is headed by the prime minister. He is the first among the equals and is therefore called the prime minister. He will have to reply to the debate in the Lok Sabha,” he said. The Congress leader demanded that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla should take up the debate followed by a vote on the no-confidence motion on July 27 itself keeping aside all listed business.

“Though the rules allow the Speaker to list a debate within 10 days of accepting the no-confidence motion, we would demand that keeping in mind the parliamentary norms the debate and vote over the no-confidence motion should be taken up tomorrow itself putting aside any other listed business. If the chair permits to take up any other listed business, it would be wrong and irregular,” said Tewari.

In the past, the Congress has questioned the lack of any response from the PM over the crisis in Manipur and said that its leader Rahul Gandhi visited the state to console the people.