'In 2 hours and 13 minutes speech, he had 3 minutes of empty platitudes on Manipur': Opposition slams PM

The Opposition slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to the no-confidence motion in Parliament saying that he conveniently skirted around the pressing issue of Manipur for the initial 90 minutes of his speech and only touched the topic after they staged a walkout.

The MPs from the newly formed Opposition bloc INDIA staged a walk-out amid PM Modi's reply to the motion of no-confidence. The Opposition was demanding PM Modi's speech on Manipur.

"With an almost eerie precision, within thirty seconds of the opposition exiting, PM Modi delved into a mere four-minute discourse on Manipur — a stark reminder of his inability to prioritise genuine concern for the people over political optics," Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien said in a video message.

“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," he said.

PM Modi on Thursday slammed the Opposition alliance INDIA as a collection of arrogant dynasties who will take India back by two centuries as he exuded confidence that people will bless "garib ka beta" with a record-breaking mandate in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The PM's speech came amid calls by Opposition for his statement on the Manipur ethnic violence that has so far claimed over 150 lives. The Opposition had moved moved the no-confidence motion demanding a statement from PM Modi on the situation in Manipur.

Reaching out to the people of Manipur, he said the entire country is with them, those behind heinous and unforgivable crimes against women will be given stringent punishment and the Centre and state governments are working together to restore peace in the ethnic violence-hit state soon.

Several opposition parties, including the Congress, had walked out by the time he touched on the Manipur issue, accusing him of not speaking on the matter.

"Thank you, Prime Minister. At last, you spoke in the House on the Manipur violence. We are sure that the pace of restoration of peace in Manipur will be faster, people from relief camps will return to their homes. He will be rehabilitated, justice will be done to him," Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said.

He added, "We are pained that on an unprecedented issue like the Manipur violence, the opposition had to use a parliamentary weapon like a no-confidence motion. But you also used the House as an election rally."

Congress' KC Venugopal accused the Prime Minister of allocating only three minutes for the Manipur issue in his over two-hour long speech. "In a 2 hour 13 minute speech, he had 3 minutes of empty platitudes on Manipur, and he hid behind his already-flopped Home Minister, or the same old drivel about the past," he tweeted.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party, TMC, also attacked PM Modi for allocating "one-minute" time for Manipur.

The PM slammed the Congress, saying all schemes were named after their leaders but no delivery was done. The Prime Minister called INDIA a 'ghamandia' alliance. He said that the Opposition has decided that NDA and BJP will come back with a grand victory, breaking all previous records.

Also Read: PM Modi speaks on Manipur crisis: 'Country is with you, peace will be restored soon'

Also Read: 'Questions on Manipur remain same': Congress after PM Modi's speech in Parliament