Cong submits notice on bringing no-confidence motion against Modi govt
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Wednesday gave a notice on moving a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi-led central government in the Lok Sabha over the Manipur issue.
Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi will move the motion, party's whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore told PTI.
Although the decision to move the no-confidence motion is that of the united opposition, Gogoi, who is an MP from Assam, will move the motion, he said.
"The INDIA alliance is together and this is the idea of the INDIA alliance. Congress party's leader will be moving the motion. We feel that it is our duty to use this last weapon to break the arrogance of the government and make them speak on Manipur," Tagore asserted.
He said the notice for the motion was submitted in the Speaker's office at 9.20 am on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, BRS MP Nama Nageshwar Rao also submitted a notice to move a no-confidence motion against the Union Council of Ministers. The K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is not a part of the INDIA alliance.
The alliance of 26 opposition parties, INDIA, had decided to move the motion in order to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak in Parliament on the Manipur violence, senior leaders of the front said.
The Congress earlier also issued a whip in the Lower House of Parliament for its members to be present in its parliamentary office by 10.30 am on Wednesday to "discuss some important issues".
Although the no-confidence motion by opposition parties is bound to fail the numbers test, opposition parties argue that they will win the battle of perception by cornering the government on the Manipur issue during the debate.
They contend that it is also a strategy to make the prime minister speak in Parliament on the crucial matter even as the government has been insisting that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will reply to the debate on the Manipur situation.
Earlier in the day, the opposition parties met at the chamber of the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to chalk out the future course of action.
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5 schoolchildren among 7 killed in blast in southwest Pakistan
Islamabad (PTI): At least seven people, including five schoolchildren and a policeman, were killed on Friday in a remote-controlled blast in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, according to media reports.
The blast occurred at 8.35 am near a school at the Civil Hospital Chowk of the Mastung district of the province, Dawn newspaper reported.
“It appears that an IED (improvised explosive device) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai was quoted as saying in the report.
“So far, seven individuals have been killed, including five school students,” Bazai said. At least 22 people were injured in the attack.
Most of those injured were schoolchildren, Geo News reported, adding that they were shifted to a nearby hospital.
A police van and several auto-rickshaws were damaged in the explosion, according to the report.
An emergency was declared across all Quetta hospitals after the blast, the report said quoting the provincial health department spokesperson, adding that all doctors, pharmacists, staff nurses and other medical staff were summoned.
