No-confidence motion: PM Modi to reply in Lok Sabha today. Top points

The debate on the motion, started on August 8, is on its last leg today.

The fierce debate between the ruling and the Opposition on no-confidence motion is in its last leg today, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to reply to the motion Lok Sabha. He is likely to address the House after 4 pm today. The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) moved the no-confidence motion against the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government which set the stage for a parliamentary battle over Manipur violence and other raging issues.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Sansad TV)

“The PM will be present in the House tomorrow to reply to the no-confidence motion,” Union defence minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha earlier.

1. A high-tension verbal battle was fought between both sides in last two days. The Opposition accused the Centre of creating a divide in Manipur, the ruling coalition defended itself by laying down government's welfare work.
2. Initiating the debate, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the I.N.D.I.A. bloc was forced to bring the no-confidence motion against the government to break Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'maun vrat' (vow of silence) on the Manipur violence. He further alleged that a government which talks about ‘one India has created two Manipurs -- one living in hills and the other in the valley’.
3. Union home minister Amit Shah attacked the Opposition for creating ‘confusion’ by moving the no-confidence motion. “The purpose of the no-confidence motion is only to spread confusion. They are neither farmer friendly nor poor-friendly nor backward-friendly. They are not worried about anyone except their family,” he said.
4. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh confirmed PM Modi's presence in the Lok Sabha today.
5. The central government earlier agreed to discuss the matter related to Manipur violence on August 11 – the last day of the monsoon session.
6. Even there will be a voting in the end of the debate, the BJP-led NDA government will hardly get a hit from the process. It has 331 members in the Lower House, with 303 alone from BJP – far beyond the majority mark of 272.
7. On the contrary, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc has 144 MPs, the tally can go up to 152 if it gets the support from BRS. So far, Naveen Patnaik's BJD, having 70 MPs, has stood back from supporting the motion.
8. Despite knowing their chance of winning the motion is slim, the Opposition defended their move to help them win the ‘battle of perception’ by compelling PM Modi to speak on the Manipur issue.