Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on August 12, minced no words as he derided the Opposition’s recent “ghamandiya” (arrogant) alliance, accusing them of cowardice during a no-confidence motion. This motion, aimed at questioning his leadership, faced a crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha last week.
Addressing the Kshetriya Panchayati Raj Parishad in West Bengal via video conference, Modi recounted the dramatic events in Parliament, claiming that the Opposition abandoned their own motion midway, unable to face the prospect of a vote. “The truth is that the opposition got scared of voting on no-confidence motion. Had there been voting, the ‘ghamandiya’ alliance would have been exposed,” ANI quoted PM Modi as saying.
The no-confidence motion, spearheaded by the opposition, was tabled on July 26. Throughout the ensuing three-day debate, tensions flared between the ruling and Opposition factions, particularly around issues like the Manipur violence.
In a surprising turn of events, members of the Opposition parties staged a walkout while PM Modi addressed the Lok Sabha in response to the no-confidence motion. The move was seen by many as a tacit admission of defeat.
“A few days ago, I had the opportunity to interact with representatives of ‘Sthaniya Swaraj’ in Haryana and today you all have assembled in West Bengal. As our national president (JP Nadda) said, no matter how busy I am, I find time for my party,” PM Modi added
PM Modi lauded his government’s efforts to empower local governance through Panchayati Raj and underscored the allocation of over ₹2 lakh crore, three times more than the previous administration, for Panchayati Raj bodies.
(With ANI inputs)
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Updated: 12 Aug 2023, 01:42 PM IST