Parliament to discuss no-confidence motion on August 8, PM Modi's reply on August 10

Lok Sabha will discuss the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against the Central government on August 8 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to provide a reply on August 10. On 26 July, Congress submitted a no-confidence motion against the ruling BJP government in the Lok Sabha. The motion was filed by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi after a collective decision was made by the Opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A. The Opposition acknowledged that despite the possibility of getting outnumbered in the Lok Sabha, a no-confidence motion is a way to seek a 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. Following this, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla admitted the no-confidence motion against the government by the Congress on behalf of the opposition alliance, to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the contentious 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, Birla said a date for a discussion on the motion will be decided after consulting the leaders of all parties. “If PM Modi does not respond to Manipur in Parliament, it would be a travesty,” Congress MP Manish Tewari told PTI. He added that since the no-confidence has been accepted by the Lok Sabha speaker, it should be taken up first before anything else is discussed. “What has happened in Manipur and what is continuing to happen there is absolutely reprehensible. There is a BJP government in the state, there is a BJP government at the Centre. Therefore, somebody needs to take responsibility,” Tewari said. With inputs from PTI