The government on Wednesday told the Lok Sabha that it is willing to hold a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue, and urged Speaker Om Birla to convene a meeting of all parties to decide on the rule, date and duration of the debate.
As soon as the House reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, Birla asked Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to make a statement, but Congress leader KC Venugopal intervened to assert that the Opposition is also seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Venugopal and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav heavily protested the police crackdown and demanded the resignation of Pradhan, insisting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make a formal statement on the floor.
Rijju said the government is willing to hold a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue, but the Speaker will have to meet floor leaders of all parties to decide on the rule under which the discussion will be held, its date and duration. Amid Opposition sloganeering, the House was adjourned till 2 pm.
Both Houses adjourned
Persistent uproar from Opposition MPs over student protests and exam irregularities led to successive disruptions during the Question Hour, ultimately forcing both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to be adjourned.
In the Lok Sabha, proceedings were disrupted from the outset as Opposition MPs raised slogans for a discussion on the NEET paper leak, the police crackdown on student protesters and allegations of theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
As soon as Question Hour began at 11 am, Opposition members trooped into the Well of the House, prompting Speaker Om Birla to assure them that they would be given an opportunity to raise their issues in accordance with parliamentary rules. With protests continuing, the House was adjourned.
When the House reconvened at noon, sloganeering resumed as ministers tabled official papers amid the din. After repeated appeals by the chair for members to return to their seats went unheeded, proceedings were adjourned again until 2 pm.
The Rajya Sabha also saw disruptions over the “police lathi-charge” on students. Opposition MPs raised slogans soon after the House assembled, forcing Chairman CP Radhakrishnan to adjourn until noon and later for the day.
Education system rigged, says Rahul Gandhi
Stepping up his attack on the government over student protests, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said students are protesting for a legitimate reason and the government is assaulting them.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, Gandhi widened the scope of his attack on the Centre, saying the education system in the country has been “rigged” under the current regime. Listing out statistics, Gandhi claimed that at least 152 paper leaks have taken place in the last 10 years with zero accountability.
Throwing his weight behind the students’ demand, Gandhi said Pradhan is the “symbol of the entire mess and he must be removed”. He accused the Education Minister of destroying “India's education system, our biggest asset”.
Also read: Parliament proceedings called off after repeated adjournments
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