INDIA leaders to meet President, Govt schedules August 8 for no-confidence motion

New Delhi: Opposition leaders will meet President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday to raise the Manipur issue after their demand for the prime minister's statement in Parliament followed by a comprehensive discussion on the violence in the state remained unfulfilled.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had sought time from President Murmu on behalf of the opposition parties to discuss the Manipur issue, and the President has granted time to them on Wednesday at 11.30 am, party leaders said on Tuesday.

The delegation will also include 21 MPs of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) who visited Manipur on July 29-30.

PM Modi statement on Manipur

The opposition is demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by a discussion under Rule 267 after suspending all other House business, while the ruling dispensation wants a short-duration discussion on Manipur which will be replied to by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The opposition parties have now sought the President's intervention in the matter, claiming that the violence in the BJP-ruled northeastern state is continuing unabated.

"The 21 INDIA party MPs who visited Manipur on July 29th and 30th will be meeting with the Hon'ble President of India on August 2nd at 1130 am. They will be accompanied by the floor leaders of INDIA parties," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said.

The opposition parties have also been demanding the dismissal of the Biren Singh government in Manipur over the violence which started on May 3.

Dismiss BJP Government in Manipur

The opposition parties said they will continue to raise the demand for the dismissal of the BJP government in Manipur before the President and seek her intervention in ensuring the restoration of law and order in the state.

The delegation of 21 opposition MPs visited the affected areas and met people in relief camps in both the hills and the valley.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who was part of the opposition delegation to Manipur, has described the situation in the state as "grave".

Lok Sabha will debate the no-confidence between August 8 and 10 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to reply to the opposition-sponsored move on the last day.

The decision was taken at the business advisory committee (BAC) meeting as constituents of the INDIA alliance walked out in protest against the debate not being taken up on priority.

"The debate on the no-confidence motion will begin on August 8 and continue till August 10 when the prime minister will reply to the debate," a senior leader said.

The opposition bloc INDIA with the Congress, DMK, Left parties and the TMC, as well as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, demanded that the House take up the motion immediately and protested the government pushing through its legislative agenda this week.

No rules or precedence

The government has insisted that there are no rules or precedence which make it mandatory for the House to take up the no-confidence motion immediately. It has argued that rules state the motion should be taken up for discussion within 10 working days of being admitted.

Congress whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said the Lok Sabha was adjourned after the opposition parties of the INDIA alliance demanded the presence of Prime Minister Modi in the House and that he makes a statement on the Manipur issue.

He said the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha was held at noon, during which the constituents of the INDIA alliance demanded that the no-confidence motion be brought up immediately.

"We wanted that the no-confidence motion be taken up tomorrow itself," Tagore said.

16th Lok Sabha took it the next day

The Congress leader said that in the 16th Lok Sabha when the TDP moved a no-confidence motion, it was listed the next day. "Therefore, the delay is not proper. In protest, the INDIA alliance partners walked out of the speaker's business advisory committee of the Lok Sabha," he said.

DMK leader T R Balu said they walked out of the business advisory committee meeting as the government wanted them to endorse its decision to start a discussion on the no-confidence motion on August 8.

Take it up first

The opposition leaders have been citing Lok Sabha precedence and rules that the no-confidence motion be taken up first after setting aside all other government business. The motion was moved by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla admitted it on July 26.

Inputs from PTI