Opp stages walkout amid Modi's reply to debate on no-confidence motion

NEW DELHI: Members of Opposition parties on Thursday staged a walkout while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was replying to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the no-confidence motion. As the Prime Minister was taking on the Opposition on several issues, the members of I.N.D.I.A bloc staged a walkout from the House, literally making the Opposition benches empty.

During his speech PM Modi took a dig at opposition parties, saying it is blessing of God that opposition have brought a no-confidence motion against his government and that NDA and BJP will come back with a grand victory, breaking all previous records in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Prime Minister said that people have repeatedly shown trust in the government. "People of the country have shown trust in our government again and again. I am here to show my gratitude to the crores of the people of the country," he said.

The Prime Minister recalled that the opposition parties had brought a no-confidence motion against his government in 2018 also ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "God is very kind and speaks through some medium...I believe that it's the blessing of God that opposition has brought this motion. I had said during the no-confidence motion in 2018 that it was not a floor test for us but a floor test for them and as a result they lost in the elections..."

PM Modi said he had told opposition parties that it was their floor test and they could not even muster the number of votes that their numbers entailed in the 2018 no-confidence motion.

"In a way, Opposition's No Confidence has always been lucky for us. Today, I can see that you (Opposition) have decided that NDA and BJP will come back in 2024 elections with a grand victory, breaking all previous records, with the blessings of the people," he said. Debate on no-confidence motion started on Tuesday.