No Confidence Motion Debate: "PM Modi murdered India in Manipur", says Rahul Gandhi, “They ran away, we didn't”, counters Smriti Irani

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi initiated the no confidence motion debate in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, on behalf of the opposition alliance INDIA.  He hit back at the Union Government and the Prime Minister’s continued silence on the ongoing violence in Manipur.

He started his speech by quoting Rumi, “Rumi ne kaha tha jo shabd dil se aate hain vo shabd dil me jaate hain to aaj main dimag se nahi bolna chah raha hoon, main dil se bolna chaah raha hoon.” (Today, I will speak from my heart.) Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister’s alleged apathy towards Manipur, he said, “PM Narendra Modi does not consider Manipur to be a part of India.”

Rahul Gandhi stated that during the course of his Bharat Jodo Yatra, the problems of the people of India became his own problem; he learnt to put himself in their shoes. "A few days back, I went to Manipur. Our PM didn't go, not even to this day, because for him Manipur is not India," says Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. He recalled the harrowing accounts of human suffering that he witnessed on his visit to Manipur.

Talking about the condition in Manipur, and the mass suffering, he said "No, BJP's poltics has not murdered Manipur, its politics has murdered India in Manipur", alleging that the plight of the people of the North-eastern state has failed to stir the Prime Minister, who is yet to issue on the ongoing Manipur violence.

He condemned the stream of politics practiced by the centre, calling them ‘murderers of the nation who are pouring kerosene all over the country’, drawing inferences to the outbreak of violence in Haryana and Manipur. Gandhi further added that the Indian Army can bring peace to Manipur in a day, but the center is yet to deploy them. “Indian army can bring peace in Manipur in one day but you are not using them. You want our soldiers to die.”said Gandhi.

Launching a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “Agar PM Modi Hindustan ki awaaz nahi sunte, toh woh kiski awaaz sunte hai?” (If the PM does not listen to the voice of India, then what does he listen to?) Rahul Gandhi sharpened his attack and alleged that the ruling party has divided Manipur into two halves. “My mother is sitting here. The other mother, Bharat Mata, you killed in Manipur.”he added.  

Union Minister Smiriti Irani launched a scathing attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his statements passed during the no-confidence motion debate, “The words bharat mata ki hatya (death of Mother India) has been uttered in the Parliament for the very first time and their alliance clapped in agreement”, she said.

“You are not INDIA because India is not corrupt. India believes in merit not in dynasty and today of all day’s people like you need to remember what was told to the British – Quit India. Corruption Quit India, Dynasty Quit India. Merit takes precedence over dynasty in India”, she fires back at Rahul Gandhi, questioning his credibility.  

She alleged that Congress’s history is soaked in blood, pulling instances of the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, she said, “A Kashmiri Pandit named Girija Tickoowas gang raped and brutally murdered in Kashmir. When this was shown in a movie, some Congress leaders called it propaganda. The same party leaders are talking about Manipur today.”

“Rahul Gandhi said kerosene has been poured all over the country. And where all did you go to find the matchbox, Rahul Gandhi? Did you not go to America?” she asked, pointing fingers to Rahul Gandhi’s visits to America.

Refuting the claims of governmental apathy over Manipur, she claimed that several leaders of the Union Government have tried to address the Manipur issue, but, the Congress leaders refused to cooperate. "Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah & Defence Minister Rajnath Singh repeatedly said that the government is ready to debate on the Manipur issue. The opposition ran away from it, we did not”, said she. “They ran away, we didn't”, she added when Rahul Gandhi was seen leaving the house.

She further alleged that the Congress MP blew a flying kiss while leaving the Parliament today, after his speech. Irani claimed that Rahul’s actions ‘lack dignity’, "Only a misogynist man can blow a flying kiss to parliament that seats women MPs”, she said.

The no confidence motion was proposed by the Opposition alliance INDIA, and tabled by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in late July. The debate was initiated by Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday, and Rahul Gandhi kick started the motion in the House on Wednesday. It is expected to end on Thursday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much anticipated statement on Manipur.