Oppn's no trust motion to nail Modi over Manipur carnage

NT Correspondent

New Delhi: A no-confidence motion by the Congress against the Narendra Modi government was admitted in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, setting the stage for a showdown between the opposition and treasury benches amid concerted efforts by the anti-BJP bloc to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the contentious Manipur issue in Parliament.

Although this no-confidence motion is bound to fail the numbers test, the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) leaders argue that they will win the battle of percep - tion by cornering the government on the Manipur issue.

Admitting the motion moved by Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi after a head count of 50 members in its support, a mandatory requirement, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said a date for a discussion on the motion will be decided after consulting the leaders of all parties.

Sources in the opposition bloc said Birla has called a meeting of floor leaders of all parties in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

As per the convention, once admitted the discussion on the motion has to be held within 10 days. The Monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to end on August 11. This is the second time that the Modi government is facing a no-confidence motion since 2014.

The first no-trust motion against the Modi government in Lok Sabha was moved on July 20, 2018. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) scored a thumping win with 325 MPs voting against the motion.

The BJP-led NDA has over 330 members now, the opposition alliance has over 140.

Manipur mobs torch 30 houses, guest house

A mob set afire at least 30 houses and shops and engaged in a shootout with security forces in Manipur's Moreh district on Wednesday, officials said. The houses were in the Moreh Bazar area close to the Myanmar border.

The mob also burnt the Forest Guest House at Moreh. Following the arson, a gun battle broke out between the attackers and security forces.

What is a no-confidence motion?

The motion signifies that one or more members of parliament have lost confidence in the appointed government. Any member of the Lok Sabha can move a no-confidence motion, but it must be supported by at least 50 members of the House.

It allows the opposition to challenge the government's majority and ability to govern, and if passed, the government must resign.

Flashback

Since Independence, 27 no-confidence motions have been moved. Most of them have been defeated, except for PM Morarji Desai's resignation in July 1979, and the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government’s loss by one vote in 1999.

The most recent motion was moved against the Modi-led NDA government in 2018 which they survived by 195 votes.