The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon on July 23 after persistent sloganeering and protests by Opposition members over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, leading to a stalemate between the Treasury and Opposition benches.
The disruption unfolded as the political confrontation over the alleged examination paper leak intensified, with both the government and the Opposition accusing each other of preventing a discussion on the issue.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was prepared to hold a comprehensive debate on NEET but alleged that the Opposition was obstructing it by attaching preconditions.
“All parties have demanded that NEET be discussed. Today, the entire NDA has again demanded that NEET be discussed,” Rijiju said. He added that discussions with Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and other Opposition leaders on Wednesday had raised hopes of resolving the impasse, but claimed the Congress later insisted on conditions before agreeing to the debate.
“We requested that we decide among ourselves how and for how long the discussion would proceed, but don’t impose conditions. Your intention to impose conditions is not correct because you want to stop the discussion,” he said.
Rijiju urged that the issue be debated without political considerations, saying the government wanted a thorough discussion in both Houses. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement earlier in the day, he said the decision to establish fast-track courts reflected the government’s commitment to ensuring swift and stringent punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks.
Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge rejected the government’s position and criticised the Prime Minister’s remarks, describing them as “an instigative statement”. He reiterated the Opposition’s demand that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign before any discussion could take place.
“The Education Minister should resign. Only then we will be ready to have a discussion,” Kharge said.
Earlier, Opposition MPs staged a demonstration near Makar Dwar in the Parliament complex, demanding Pradhan’s removal over the alleged paper leak controversy. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi also joined the protest.
Simultaneously, MPs from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) held a counter-protest against Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, who was suspended from the House after making objectionable remarks against two women MPs.
The parliamentary deadlock came shortly after Prime Minister Modi’s first public statement on the controversy, in which he announced the establishment of fast-track courts to expedite trials and ensure strict punishment for those responsible for examination paper leaks, while stressing the need to safeguard the future of the country’s youth.
