 "Lok Sabha")
The second day of the debate on the no confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government saw heavy chaos from the Opposition.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's speech, which was much-anticipated since his Lok Sabha membership was reinstated on Monday, happened today. He launched a series of intense attacks on the BJP-led government over the Manipur issue and also brought the Adani row into play.
Later, Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani counterattacked Rahul Gandhi during the no-confidence motion discussion.
Here's a quick recap of what happened in the Parliament today:
Rahul Gandhi's attack on PM Modi
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech during the no-confidence motion debate in Lok Sabha on Wednesday and accused the prime minister of "(expunged) Bharat Mata [Mother India] in Manipur."
In his first speech – of about 30 minutes – Gandhi said, "India is a voice, a voice of the heart. You have killed that voice in Manipur. You have (expunged) Bharat Mata in Manipur. You are (expunged). My mother is sitting here. The other mother, Bharat Mata, you (expunged) her in Manipur. That is why the Prime Minister does not visit Manipur. You are not protectors of Bharat Mata, you are her (expunged)."
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"The Prime Minister has not gone to Manipur because he doesn't consider it a part of India. You [BJP] have divided Manipur," Gandhi said, amid loud protests from the Opposition.
Manipur has been in the grip of ethnic violence since May 3. Over 150 people have died and tens of thousands have been displaced.
Smriti Irani counters Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha
Union Minister Smriti Irani took a swipe at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his remarks that Manipur has been broken into two parts.
"Manipur is not divided, it is an integral part of India," Irani said.
Intensifying her attack on Congress-led Opposition and Rahul Gandhi, Irani said, "Entire country has seen Congress leaders clapping, thumping desks when Rahul Gandhi spoke of the murder of India.
You aren't INDIA because India isn't corrupt, India believes in merit, not dynasty," she added.
Irani also told the Lok Sabha that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh repeatedly said the government is ready to debate on the Manipur issue. "The opposition ran away from it, we did not...," she added.
Meanwhile, women MPs of the BJP also lodged a formal complaint with Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla against Rahul Gandhi allegedly blowing a 'flying kiss' in the lower house.
They accused the Congress MP of "insulting women MPs" and demanded strict action against him.
A letter signed by union minister Shobha Karandlaje and other women MPs read that Gandhi "behaved in an indecent manner" and "inappropriate gestures towards Smriti Irani while she was addressing the House".
"The member has not only insulted the dignity of women members in the House, but it has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august House," the letter read.
Amit Shah's appeals to Opposition 'not to politicise' Manipur issue
Speaking on the unrest in Manipur, Home Minister Amit Shah said that while the events which took place in the northeastern state are "shameful," what is more shameful is the politics being played over the issue.
"I agree with the Opposition that there has been unprecedented violence in Manipur. Nobody can stand for that. The events have shamed humanity. But what's more shameful than the events in Manipur is the politics around them," he said, adding that the BJP had brought peace to the northeast.
The Home Minister further appealed to both Meitei and Kuki communities to engage in dialogue and said that violence was not a solution to their problems.
"I assure you that we will bring peace to the state. Politics should not be done on this issue," he said.
Farooq Abdullah in Lok Sabha
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah, while speaking in Lok Sabha during a debate on the no confidence motion, attacked the BJP-led government and PM Modi.
"How many Kashmiri Pandits have you brought back? Don't say we are not part of India. Don't say we are Pakistanis," Abdullah said, adding that the Prime Minister doesn't represent only one colour, he represents India.
Reacting to Abdullah, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said, "To say that this government did not do anything for Kashmiri Pandit Hindus is wrong and misleading the House."
Lok Sabha pays tribute to victims of Hiroshima, Nagasaki
Lok Sabha MPs on Wednesday observed a minute's silence as a tribute to the freedom fighters, commemorating the 1942 Quit India Movement. They also paid tribute to the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombings.
Nagasaki Day, observed annually on August 9, marks the 78th anniversary. It was the day when the Japanese city of Nagasaki was devastated by an atomic bomb during World War II. This day serves as a reminder of the immense destructive power of nuclear weapons and the need for lasting peace.
In 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9.
