Criticism has emerged from the Opposition regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the no-confidence motion, specifically his delayed mention of the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur. According to the Opposition, the Prime Minister failed to address the Manipur situation for a significant portion of his approximately 90-minute speech in the Lok Sabha. The matter was only broached after MPs from the newly formed Opposition bloc, known as I.N.D.I.A, staged a walkout during his speech.Derek O’Brien, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), conveyed his disappointment in a video message. He stated that PM Modi “conveniently skirted around the pressing issue of Manipur for the initial 90 minutes of his speech.” O’Brien emphasized that it was only after the walkout by I.N.D.I.A that the Prime Minister chose to address the matter, implying a calculated response on his part.
In a tweet from his party, O’Brien further conveyed his sentiment by saying, “I can tell you the positive – the teflon coating has gone, the sheen has vanished. PM Modi after your speech today, one is quite confident that INDIA: ‘jitega Bharat’.”During his speech, PM Modi criticized the Opposition, primarily the Congress, accusing them of being more concerned about power than the welfare of the impoverished. He also expressed confidence in his party’s prospects for the upcoming general election and mockingly challenged the Opposition to be better prepared for another no-confidence motion in 2028.
However, the Opposition had originally moved the no-confidence motion with the intention of compelling the Prime Minister to address the escalating ethnic violence in Manipur, which has already resulted in the loss of more than 150 lives. In response, PM Modi eventually stated, “The entire country is with Manipur and the Centre and state governments are working together to restore peace in the state.”
Derek O’Brien further criticized PM Modi for his absence from the Rajya Sabha throughout the entire Parliament Monsoon Session of 2023. He highlighted that the Prime Minister’s discussion on the Manipur issue in the Lok Sabha merely spanned four minutes and was prompted by the pressure of the No Confidence Motion brought forth by Team INDIA. O’Brien went on to claim that, throughout India’s post-Independence history, no Prime Minister has undermined the dignity of Parliament to the extent that Modi has.
