'Vajpayee Spoke On Gujarat Riots In 2002': Congress Justifies Demand For PM Modi's Response On Manipur

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the BJP should recall that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke on the Gujarat riots in 2002 when the Opposition moved a motion in Parliament.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh ( Image Source :PTI )

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday cited the Parliament proceedings during the Gujarat riots of 2002 to justify the Opposition's demand for a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur violence. Ramesh said: "Those questioning the demand of INDIA parties for a statement by the Prime Minister on Manipur in the Rajya Sabha to be followed by a discussion should recall what had happened in May 2002 in the very same House."

Ramesh said that on May 6, 2002, the Rajya Sabha had a discussion on the Gujarat riots. He quoted then Congress MP Arjun Singh as saying: “This House expresses its deep sense of anguish on the persistence of violence in Gujarat for over six weeks, leading to the loss of a large number of persons, destruction of property worth crores of rupees and urges the Central Government to intervene effectively under Article 355 of the Constitution to protect the lives and properties of the citizens and to provide effective relief and rehabilitation to the victims of violence.”

He tweeted the minutes of the day as recorded in Parliament to show the "chronology of the events". At 12:04 pm that day, Manmohan Singh Leader of the Opposition spoke on the motion. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke on the motion at 12:26 pm. At 12:56 pm, LK Advani Minister of Home Affairs spoke on the Motion." He said the motion was unanimously adopted at 2:25 pm around an hour after Arjun Singh replied to the debate.

The Opposition front, named INDIA, on July 26 submitted a notice for a no-confidence motion against the government in Lok Sabha. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi filed the no-confidence motion on behalf of the united Opposition. BRS MP Nama Nageshwara Rao also file a no-confidence motion. The motion aimed to confront Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the Manipur ethnic violence. Following the rules, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla admitted the motion after conducting a head count of over 50 MPs. Birla informed that the date and time for the discussion on the motion would be determined through consultations with all parties.

Manickam Tagore, the Congress whip in Lok Sabha, earlier said that the motion represented the Opposition's final recourse against the government. He said, "We wanted to break the arrogance of Modi. He is behaving as an arrogant person - not coming to the Parliament and making a statement on Manipur...We feel that it is our duty to use this last weapon."

The no-confidence motion could now be discussed in Lok Sabha on August 8. According to sources, the discussion could take place over three days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the debate on August 10.

The AAP and the Congress have voiced their concerns regarding the legislative proceedings in the Lok Sabha after the acceptance of a no-confidence motion. AAP leader Raghav Chadha urged the Speaker not to discuss any bills until the trust vote is taken up, given the ongoing uproar over the Manipur issue and the passage of bills in the lower house.

Regarding the Central Bureau of Investigation taking over the Manipur viral video case, the AAP leader criticized the delay, stating that it was 'too little, too late' to transfer the case to the central agency after 85 days.

Congress MP Manish Tewari asserted that all bills passed subsequent to the acceptance of the no-confidence motion are "constitutionally suspect." He emphasized that any substantial legislative business should follow the outcome of the motion and not precede it. He also expressed concern about using the 10-day period for scheduling a discussion on the no-confidence motion to push bills through.

He claimed the very legality of all the legislations which have been passed in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha after the no-confidence motion was admitted would have to be examined by a court of law as to whether they were legally passed or not. All legislative business transacted after the no-confidence motion was tabled is "constitutionally suspect", he claimed.

The BJP, meanwhile, said that the Opposition has always disturbed PM Modi when he has spoken on the floor in the past. " Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 31 said that the Opposition did not extend the courtesy of even listening to him. “Why do you want to presume that everything has to start and end as per your demands? Are you concerned about Manipur or are you doing politics,” she asked.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said it was the Opposition that was running away from a debate in Parliament on the Manipur violence.