Everyone knows govt enjoys two-third majority: Piyush Goyal

The BJP on Monday rejected the Opposition's criticism of the government for pushing forth its legislative agenda in Parliament and not taking up the no-confidence motion, saying neither rules nor precedence makes it mandatory for the ruling party to prove its majority first.

Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters that everyone knows the government enjoys a two-third majority in Lok Sabha and the numbers strongly favour it.

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Several opposition members have said their no-confidence motion against the government should be taken up in Lok Sabha first and claimed that it is wrong for the treasury benches to push through bills before this.

There are no such rules, Goyal said, adding that precedence also does not support such an argument.

It is the Speaker's prerogative to decide when to take up the no-confidence motion, and the government is ready whenever it is taken up, he said.

Congress MP Manish Tewari has claimed that all bills passed after the no-confidence motion was admitted in the Lok Sabha are "constitutionally suspect" and asserted that any substantive legislative business must succeed the outcome of the motion, not precede it.

The former Union minister also said the 10-day period for scheduling a discussion on the no-confidence motion tabled in the Lok Sabha cannot be used to "steamroll" bills. Some other opposition members have echoed his view.

Goyal also hit back at the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A after its delegation of MPs highlighted people's suffering in Manipur after visiting the state and demanded a discussion in Parliament, saying it is these parties which are running away from a debate.

The government has been ready for a debate right from day one of the monsoon session, he said.

The opposition has been demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement in Parliament first before any discussion on the Manipur situation. The government has made clear its disagreement with the demand while asserting that Home Minister Amit Shah will reply to the discussion.

It is clear that the opposition is in fear that it will be exposed during the discussion, Goyal said, adding that a debate will highlight the bad state of affairs when the Congress was in power in the state and at the Centre and how things changed after the BJP took over.