BJD on why it is opposing no-trust motion: ‘Naveen Patnaik doesn’t believe in needless quarrels with Centre’

“The heart-rending scenes that we have seen with regard to the atrocities of women in Manipur are not new to us. This is seen everywhere in the world, where there is strife, where there is this kind of conflict, where there is sort of internecine warfare. We have seen this in sub-Saharan African nations, in Burundi, between the Hutus and the Tutsis, we’ve seen this in Rwanda. For instance, we’ve seen this in Bosnia Herzegovina, we have seen this in Serbia,” Misra said.

He added, “So, this is endemic, unfortunately to our society and polity. Therefore, I come to this one seminal issue that the way forward for women’s empowerment is again what Mr Naveen Patnaik has been repeatedly requesting the Central government to bring in the Women’s Reservation Bill and I think that is one area where the Central government will be seriously remiss if in the 17th Lok Sabha they don’t do it because there is a full majority. In fact, there is near unanimity. That is the only issue on which the government lacks confidence.”

Misra explained that “anti-Congressism” was the foundation of the BJD. “We were born out of the need to oppose the corrupt government of the Congress. Therefore, it is not possible for the BJD to support any motion brought by the Congress. About why the Biju Janata Dal feel that this is a misplaced motion, totally out of place at this point in time we brought to this House, let me now come to the merits of this particular no-confidence motion that they have allegedly brought on one count alone that is to bring the prime minister to the house that seems to be the reason why this no confidence has been moved, that the Prime Minister should be brought to this House is avoiding the House and avoiding speaking on Manipur.”

Further criticising the Congress, the BJD leader said, “The Congress is very adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. They are also adept at cutting their nose to spite their face. Every time the PM has got up to speak in this House — and everybody will agree that he is a peerless orator — he puts the Congress through a shredder. So, I do not understand why they want him to come to the House. It defies logic and common sense.

“The people of the country will decide what they think of the PM not speaking on Manipur. You don’t bring a no-confidence motion for it. You don’t disrupt the House needlessly. The ruling party is happiest as Bills can be passed in the din and the minister does not have to reply.”

Misra said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called an all-party meeting on Manipur, “An exceptionally detailed account of what had happened in Manipur was given. There are legacy issues there. This has boiled over many times in the past. The Manipur High Court passed the most ill-advised order on giving ST status to a particular community,” Misra said, adding that the Centre had missed a trick by letting the matter go back to the High Court, which has now said the matter will be decided in a year. It should have been left to the Supreme Court to decide, he added.