PM Modi responds to Rahul’s hug: ‘A person was eager for this seat, but in a democracy don’t be in a hurry’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged all parties to reject the no-confidence motion in the House. "If you were not prepared for the debate why did you bring the motion? Why were you trying to delay the motion," he asked.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: July 20, 2018 10:40:22 pm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha during the no-confidence motion on Friday.

Hours after Rahul Gandhi surprised everyone when he hugged Narendra Modi during the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha on Friday, the Prime Minister, without naming the Congress president, hit back saying a person is in a hurry to occupy PM’s seat, but the people decide who sits on the seat.

Taking a dig at Rahul, he said, “In a democracy, don’t be in a hurry. A person was eager for this seat, wanted me to get up. What’s the hurry, people decide who sits on the seat.”

Responding to the Opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion, the Prime Minister said some people are in a hurry to bring down the government and sit on the treasury benches.

Reacting to a day-long debate on the no-confidence motion, he said some people are indulging in ‘negative politics’. Modi said the floor test was not to measure the strength of his government, rather it was a ‘force test’ for the Congress and other opposition parties. The Prime Minister also urged all parties to reject the no-confidence motion in the House. “If you were not prepared for the debate why did you bring the motion? Why were you trying to delay the motion,” asked PM Modi. Also Read: Rahul Gandhi hugs PM Modi and his Congress is as surprised as BJP

This is the first time that a no-confidence motion has been moved in the Lok Sabha since the BJP-led dispensation came to power four years ago.

Slamming the Opposition in the House, the Prime Minister said it was their sheer arrogance and all they have to say is remove Modi. Training his guns at Rahul Gandhi’s ‘hugging act’, PM Modi said, “In the morning, the voting was not over, the debate was also not over one member comes running to me saying- Utho Utho Utho… What is his hurry to come to power? Let me tell this member it is the people who elected us. That is how we have come here. To remove one Modi, see who all they are trying to bring together.” Also Read: ‘Abuse me as much as you want, don’t insult jawans’: Top quotes by PM Modi in Lok Sabha

Earlier today, the Opposition launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government over unfulfilled promises and the Rafale deal. While the TDP’s Jayadev Galla initiated the debate on the no-confidence motion and attacked the Modi government for ignoring the interests of Andhra Pradesh after Telangana was carved out of it, Congress President Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of Rafale fighter aircraft deal and making “tall’ promises without fulfilling them.

Participating in the debate, the Congress president accused the government of making “tall promises” and fulfilling none. “The TDP, like many others, is victim of BJP’s political weapon called ‘jumla’ (gimmick)”, he said. Also See: Rahul Gandhi hugs PM Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha

Rahul Gandhi also accused the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of speaking “untruth” over the Rafale fighter aircraft deal and demanded answers from her and the Prime Minister. He also asked why a businessman was allegedly favoured.

While the TDP’s Jayadev Galla initiated the debate on the no-confidence motion and attacked the Modi government for ignoring the interests of Andhra Pradesh after Telangana was carved out of it, Congress President Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of Rafale fighter aircraft deal and making “tall’ promises without fulfilling them.