Following the lead of the YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam Party, the Congress on Friday moved a notice for a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha said the motion could be included in the revised list of business for Tuesday.
“Two parties, the AIADMK and the TRS, are primarily responsible for the ruckus in the Lok Sabha. The government uses this as a cover so that the motion is not taken for debate,” said Kodikkunnil Suresh, Secretary, Congress Parliamentary Party.
He said the Congress decided to move a motion as the “people want” the party to.
“Essentially, the BJP does not want a discussion on the Centre’s performance in the last four years. If this motion is debated, the government will be questioned for corruption, economic crisis, farmers’ distress and unemployment. Modi has no answers to our questions. That is why the motion by TDP and YSRC has not been taken up yet. This is against the Constitution and all precedents set by the House,” Suresh added.
The Congress hopes that if the major Opposition party moves the notice, the Speaker will have to find a way to take it up for discussion. “In the past, no-confidence motions against Narasimha Rao and AB Vajpayee were taken up on the same day for debate. There are such instances before the Speaker. The BJP is using their friends AIADMK and the TRS to disrupt the House and delay the debate,” Suresh said, and added that the Congress will press for a debate on the motion on Tuesday. “We are in touch with all Opposition parties and other parties who want a debate on the performance of government,” Suresh added.
Congress has also issued a three-line whip to all its MPs in the Lok Sabha to ensure their presence on Monday. The Centre does not have to worry about the numbers and the Congress knows well that their motion is not going to get the support of the House. Party has been alleging that the Centre was trying to avoid a discussion on PNB scam, alleged scam in Rafale deal and the farmers’ distress. It feels that a debate on the motion will be like a trial for the Centre.