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NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said in Lok Sabha that the violence which has taken place in Manipur, especially against women, is unpardonable and those responsible will soon be punished.
In his more than two-hour-long reply to the no-confidence motion, the Prime Minister gave an assurance that peace will prevail in Manipur, and that it will march forward on the path of development.
The BJP-ruled state government in Manipur has been trying to resolve the situation prevailing there for the past six years and the efforts will continue in the future too, Modi said.
"The entire country and the House are with Manipur. We will together ensure peace there," he said.
However, he said that all efforts to ensure peace in the state should be free of politics.
He launched an all-out attack on the Congress party, saying that it was during the Opposition party's tenure that there was unrest in the Northeast, insurgency prevailed, blockades happened, militants ruled the roost and the national anthem was not played in schools and other government institutions.
"The Opposition's pain and compassion for Manipur is selective. Congress has always given step-motherly treatment to the Northeast and deliberately kept it underdeveloped for several years. However for us, Northeast is part of our heart. I have travelled to every nook and corner of the region and have an emotional attachment with the Northeast," he said amid chants of "Modi! Modi!" by the treasury benches.
The Prime Minister lambasted the Congress, saying that its every move is governed by political gains.
"They have portrayed the situation in Manipur as if violence erupted there suddenly. Yesterday, the home minister had in detail explained in the House, how the circumstances led to the current situation. It is only the Congress which is responsible for the situation there, as it was during their previous tenures that a peaceful state got engulfed in the fire of insurgency," the Prime Minister said, amid cries of "Shame, shame!" by the treasury benches.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]He recounted certain incidents of violence in northeastern states during the regime of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, and blamed the Congress for all the ills in the region.
Incidentally, the Prime Minister started speaking about Manipur and the Northeast only after the opposition had staged a walkout from Lok Sabha, protesting against his lack of reference to Manipur.
The Opposition repeatedly sought his response on Manipur, even as the Prime Minister launched an all-out attack on the Congress during his marathon speech.
Later, even AIMIM and Bharat Rashtra Samiti members staged a walkout.
As the Congress-led Opposition staged a walkout, around 90 minutes after the Prime Minister began speaking, Modi said that the government has always been ready for a discussion on Manipur, however, the Opposition always shied away from it and believed in running away.
"They lie and abuse and then they run away. They were never interested in discussing Manipur. We asked them to come and discuss, but their intentions were not good and therefore they ran away," Modi said.
He said that whenever the Opposition brought a no-confidence motion against his government, it turns out to be auspicious for them.
"They had brought a no-confidence motion in 2018 also. At that time I had said that it was more of an opposition's floor test, as in the 2019 elections, they could not even retain the number of seats they had won in 2014. People declared their lack of confidence in them. I think they (the opposition) have decided that they will ensure our victory with an even stronger mandate in 2024," Modi said amid cheers from BJP members.
Attacking the Opposition, Modi said that it has broken the trust of the people and proven that for them the party is bigger than the nation.
He taunted the Congress, saying that even in 2018, he had advised them to come better prepared when they bring another such motion, however, they had not heeded his suggestion.
"The Congress has always disappointed the nation. Their own house is not in order and they want an account of our achievements," Modi said.
He lampooned the leader of the Congress party Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for not even getting the opportunity to initiate the discussion on the no-confidence motion.
The Prime Minister said that at a time when global institutions were hailing India as one of the fastest-growing economies, the Opposition was unhappy with it, as it has always played the role of a black spot, which is applied on a person to ward off the evil eye.
"The opposition has acted as that very black spot for us," Modi said. The prime minister's speech was routinely abrupted by chants of "Modi! Modi!" by the treasury benches and of "India! India!" by the opposition.
Modi said that all the abuses which are routinely hurled at him act as a tonic for him, adding that whenever the Opposition has spoken ill of anybody, he or she has benefitted.
"I am the best example of this. They have abused me for 20 years, but I have only progressed," he said, adding that this was a secret boon with which the Congress is blessed.
He gave the example of this "secret boon" by citing the banking sector and PSUs like HAL and LIC.
"They spoke ill of the banking sector, but it has now prospered. They tried to start an agitation with HAL employees, saying that it will shut down, but today it is one of the most prosperous companies in defence production. Similarly, they had given a Doomsday prediction for LIC, but it has also risen.
"I will advise investors to our in their money in stocks of companies which are abused by the opposition, they will benefit," Modi commented.
"In our next term, India will become the third largest economy in the world. A responsible opposition seeks an answer from the government. It asks how will the government achieve this aim. Do I have to teach them this now?" he quipped amid laughter from the treasury benches.
"Despite being in power for so many years, the Congress says without doing anything it would be achieved. They don't have any insight," he added.
Continuing his attack on the Congress, PM Modi said that it likes bad-mouthing the nation and to achieve this goal, they are ready to give importance to any insignificant thing hurled at them.
"People, however, have a strong lack of confidence against the Congress, which is so full of pride that it cannot see the ground slipping underneath it," PM Modi said.
He listed a number of states where the Congress has not been in power on its own for years like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Tripura among others.
Making fun of the name "INDIA" of the opposition's alliance, PM Modi said that it was like painting an old ruined building with new paint.
"Even for survival, they need the help of NDA. They have added two 'Is' in NDA to make it INDIA. These two 'Is' denote pride of one family and pride of 26 parties," he said.
Terming it as a "Ghamandiya Gathbandhan" Modi said that it is an alliance where everyone wants to be the prime minister.
The Congress, he said, always played the dynasty card and therefore several leaders were neglected by it who did not play along their lines like B R Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose and Gopinath Bordoloi among others.
"Congress' 'Lanka' has been burnt to ashes by its pride and the people will not allow it to rest in peace," he said.
He added that this "Ghamandiya Gathbandhan" was a shop where only hatred, appeasement, dynasty politics, scams and loot money were sold.
"This alliance is a guarantee for ruining the nation, inflation, instability, corruption, dynasty politics and appeasement. Only Modi gives guarantee for stability, of the nation," he said amid applause from BJP members. The no-confidence motion was later dismissed by voice vote.