Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday hit out at the Opposition as they staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reply to the motion of no confidence and said that their walkout exposed their design that they had nothing to do with Manipur. He also said that the Opposition just wanted to disrupt the Parliament. “Opposition demanded that PM Modi should speak on Manipur and when he started speaking they walked out. That completely exposed their design that the intention of the opposition was nothing to do with Manipur. They just wanted to disrupt the Parliament,” CM Sarma said.

The chief minister also praised PM Modi’s speech and said he spoke from his heart adding that he showed his affection for the people of Manipur. “PM Modi spoke from his heart. He also showed his affection for the people of Manipur. As a principal party, they should have listened to Prime Minister’s speech till the last,” CM Sarma said. As the Prime Minister was taking on the Opposition on several issues, the members of I.N.D.I.A bloc staged a walkout from the House, literally making the Opposition benches empty. However, the no-confidence motion was defeated in the Lok Sabha. The NDA defeated the no-confidence motion comfortably with a voice vote in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, PM Modi on Thursday, while speaking on a no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha, assured for strictest punishment for the accused who indulged in crimes against women. Asserting that state and central government are working to restore peace in Manipur, the PM said that the government is taking steps to bring normalcy there. “Both the state and central governments are doing everything possible to ensure that the accused get the strictest punishment. I want to assure the people that peace will be restored in Manipur in the coming time,” PM Modi said while replying to the no-confidence motion against his government. “There are serious crimes against women and they are unforgivable,” he added. He further said the country is with the people of Manipur.

“I want to tell people of Manipur including women and daughters of Manipur that the country is with you,” he added.

The opposition moved a no-confidence motion against the Modi government on July 26 which was taken up by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The three days of the motion witnessed a fierce battle between the ruling and the Opposition coalitions over the Manipur violence and other raging issues.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday accepted the no-confidence motion against the government moved by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on behalf of opposition parties of I.N.D.I.A alliance. After Gogoi moved the motion, the Speaker asked about the number of members supporting the motion. He admitted the motion and said the time of the debate will be decided later. The House resumed its normal functioning after the Speaker accepted the demand for no-confidence motion. Opposition members expressed their opinion on the bills being introduced by the government. The two Houses have seen repeated adjournments since the commencement of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 20. Gogoi represents the Kaliabor constituency in Assam and is an MP from the northeast region. Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which has nine members in Lok Sabha, also gave a no-confidence motion notice against the government.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the government is “ready” for every situation. “Let the No Confidence Motion come, Government is ready for every situation. We do want a discussion on Manipur…Before the commencement of the session, they wanted a discussion. When we agreed, they brought up the issue of Rules. When we reached an agreement on Rules, they brought in the new issue that the PM come and initiate discussion. I think these are all excuses…” Meghwal told ANI. Gaurav Gogoi had earlier in the day submitted a notice for no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha.

Manipur issue at the forefront

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. As many as 26 Opposition had earlier come together naming their alliance as I.N.D.I.A. 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.”