Will use no-confidence motion to expose govt's 'failures': Congress

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the debate on no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha , all central ministries and departments have been directed to prepare a list of achievements of the Narendra Modi government which will be highlighted on Friday while a core team will be at work to counter the opposition 's offensive as the debate progresses, officials said on Thursday.It is a "pro-active" move and the intention is to take full advantage of the situation created due to the no-confidence motion moved by the opposition, an official privy to the development said."All the ministries and departments have been asked to prepare the list of achievements of the last four years and submit to the secretary concerned as early as possible so that these can be highlighted in the debate by the government side," the official said.Asked about issues expected to be raised by opposition to target the government during the debate, another official said a core team will prepare the counter-points as the debate progresses tomorrow and these will be handed over to the close aides of the Prime Minister, who will reply to the debate.The opposition sponsored no-confidence motion against the Modi government was moved on Wednesday for the first time since the BJP-led dispensation came to power in 2014.The opposition parties have brought the motion against the government on several issues like special status to Andhra Pradesh, cow vigilantism, lynchings, atrocities against women and dalits and alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act.The motion will be the first since the BJP-led NDA government came to power four years ago."The House will take up the debate (on the motion) on Friday, July 20th. The discussion will be held for the full day, followed by voting on it," Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had said yesterday.The Congress, meanwhile, said that Friday's 'no-confidence motion' was more than a show of numbers and it will use the occasion to "expose" the government's "failure".Addressing a press conference, Congress' senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said his party has the support of other opposition parties on the no-confidence motion which has been brought "to show the mirror to the government", highlight the various issues concerning the people of the country and ensure that the truth reaches them."It is not only a question of numbers. We will use the occasion to expose the government and raise various issues concerning the people of the country and tell the truth to the people. This is the launch of a campaign which will send them packing in 2019 Lok Sabha elections," he told reporters."It is to show the mirror to the government," he said, when asked as to what did the Congress want to achieve through the 'no-confidence motion' when the numbers were in favour of the government.Sharma said Parliament is the place where issues are discussed and debated and "that is where you expose this government".The Congress leader alleged that the prime minister and his government "believe in propaganda" and are unaware of the problems confronting the country and its people.