NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday reiterated that it was ready to hold a discussion in Parliament on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and related issues, but accused the Opposition of avoiding a debate by insisting on preconditions.The fresh face-off unfolded in the Rajya Sabha on the third day of the Monsoon Session, where repeated disruptions forced the House to be adjourned till 3 pm.While the government maintained it was prepared to discuss the issue, the Opposition, led by Congress president and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, said no debate would take place unless Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said the Centre had been willing to discuss the matter since the beginning of the session and rejected the Opposition’s charge that it was avoiding accountability.“Since day one of the Monsoon Session, the Government has been saying that we are ready to have a discussion on all important issues. We are ready for a discussion on NEET exam paper leak since the beginning. We are ready even now,” Rijiju said in the Rajya Sabha.
Govt accuses Opposition of avoiding discussion
Rijiju said the government had conveyed its readiness to Congress leaders and other parties, adding that the format and rule under which the debate would take place had to be decided after consultations under the Chair.“We have said this to the Congress leaders as well as leaders of other parties that the Govt is ready for a discussion but how the discussion is to be taken up has to be decided after meeting with everyone under the chairmanship of the Chair,” he said.He accused the Opposition of putting conditions to prevent the discussion from taking place.“If you are looking for excuses to not have a discussion and put up conditions, then it is not right,” Rijiju said.He added that discussing the issue was important for the country’s youth and that it was the government’s responsibility to inform the nation about the steps taken following the alleged paper leak.Rijiju also said the government was ready to discuss all issues and that it was for the Chair to decide under which rule the debate should be held.Leader of the house J P Nadda backed the government’s position and criticised the Opposition’s conduct.“INDI alliance has irresponsible behaviour, they are destroying the dignity of Parliament,” Nadda said.
Opposition sticks to resignation demand
The Opposition, however, remained firm on its demand that education minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign before any discussion on the issue.Leading the protests in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said there could be no meaningful debate until the minister stepped down.“For fair discussion on NEET, there will be no debate until Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,” Kharge said.Kharge also insisted that the discussion be held under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha, which allows the House to suspend listed business to take up a matter of urgent public importance with the Chairman’s consent.Deputy chairman Harivansh cited past rulings and noted that Rule 267 had been invoked only on the “rarest of the rare occasions” over the past four decades.
Protests continue inside and outside Parliament
The confrontation in the Rajya Sabha came amid continuing protests by Opposition parties over the alleged NEET-UG irregularities and police action against students during Monday’s demonstrations.Earlier in the day, Opposition MPs, including leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, protested in Parliament premises wearing black clothes.Priyanka Gandhi alleged that students were raising legitimate concerns and accused the government of suppressing democratic protests.The ongoing impasse follows Tuesday’s dramatic protest by Congress leaders outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, where Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other Opposition leaders were detained by Delhi Police after staging a sit-in over the NEET issue and the police action against student protesters.The Congress has been demanding Pradhan’s resignation and a detailed discussion on the issue in Parliament.
