India’s parliament has authorized a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The no-confidence vote has been initiated by an alliance of opposition parties and is aimed at compelling the Prime Minister to address concerns surrounding the ongoing ethnic clashes in the northeastern state of Manipur.
Despite the opposition’s efforts, the no-confidence vote is not expected to oust Modi, as his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds a clear majority with 301 members out of the 542-seat lower house of parliament.
The primary objective of the opposition is to spark a comprehensive debate on the escalating violence in the remote BJP-ruled state of Manipur. The state, which is home to approximately 3.2 million people, has witnessed a grim situation with over 130 reported fatalities and 60,000 people displaced since the violence erupted in early May.
Lower house speaker, Om Birla, has given his approval for the opposition’s motion, and he is expected to schedule the debate and vote soon.
The security and political failure in Manipur is considered rare for Modi’s government, which is gearing up to face a national election by May 2024. The recent incident of two women being paraded naked and molested by a mob in Manipur sparked national outrage, prompting Modi to finally address the situation and condemn the mass assault, promising strong action against the perpetrators.
However, opposition parties have been adamant in demanding a detailed statement from Prime Minister Modi in parliament regarding the Manipur situation, followed by an open debate. As the head of the government, Modi will be required to respond to the no-confidence motion before it can proceed to a vote.
The government has offered a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah, who asserted that internal security falls under the purview of his ministry.
The violence in Manipur erupted after a court ordered the state government to consider extending special economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education, which were previously enjoyed by the tribal Kuki people, to the majority Meitei population as well.
Shashi Tharoor, a prominent leader of the main opposition Congress party while talking to foreign media, emphasized the need for the government to provide satisfactory answers regarding the situation in Manipur, given the loss of lives in violence, sexual assault, and displacement that the state has endured.
