“Losses in third election: some are hurt,” PM in Lok Sabha

PTC News Desk: In parliament, the opposition is back and stronger than ever, determined to be heard. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood to answer to the Motion of Thanks for the President’s address, that is exactly what they decided to do. The purported explanation was that the PM wished to appear as a representative of the state that has been rocked by violence.

Following a few MPs’ objections over Speaker Om Birla’s rejection, the rest of the Opposition MPs took up the issue, and soon the Lok Sabha chamber was filled with jeers and chants.

The MPs increased their volume and thumped tables as the Prime Minister began to speak. Cries of “Manipur, Manipur,” “Tanashahi nahin chalegi (We won’t allow dictatorship)” and “Justice for Manipur” erupted, prompting the Speaker to chastise the Leader of the Opposition angrily.  

There could not be a more stark contrast to Congressman Rahul Gandhi’s intense address from yesterday, which was filled with frequent objections and irate outbursts from the Prime Minister and his ministers.

The protesters’ voice rose as PM Modi carried on. Mr. Birla chastised the opposition, saying, “I gave you 90 minutes to speak yesterday. You were not stopped by anyone. This is not appropriate behavior,” he declared. “Paanch saal aise nahin chalegi (We cannot have five years of this)” was then added as an afterthought.

Demonstrations by the opposition had before disrupted a prime minister’s speech in the House. The BJP’s objections prevented Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from announcing his Council of Ministers in 2004.

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