Opposition forces adjournments over NEET-UG controversy; row over Kharge entering well of Rajya Sabha

Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon and later for the day as the opposition parties pressed for the acceptance of their adjournment notices seeking debate on the NEET-UG controversy. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, sought to raise the NEET-UG issue. Speaker Om Birla said that there was no provision for discussion on any other issue when the House has to take up motion of thanks on the President's address.

He said members can raise all the issues during the debate on the motion of thanks and the government will reply to them. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijuju made similar remarks and condemned opposition members coming to the well of the House.

Rajya Sabha saw repeated adjournments with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar saying that he has been pained over Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is Leader of Opposition, coming to the well of the House over opposition demand. The opposition members later staged a walk out.

Kharge later told the media that he had sought to draw the Chair's attention but was not paid heed.

Dhankar said the Deputy Leader of Congress also came to the well of House in protest.

"Honourable Members, today has become so tainted in the history of the Indian Parliament that the Leader of the Opposition himself has come to the well. This has never happened before. I am pained, I am shocked. The Indian parliamentary tradition will deteriorate to such an extent that the Leader of the Opposition will come to the well, the Deputy Leader will come to the well," he said.

Dhankhar later referred to Kharge's remarks made to ANI and said he had come across them on the agency's X handle.

"The kind of conduct, the ignoble conduct exhibited, hurts every Indian and shames our institution. We are here elected that the prestige of being members of the upper house. In this House, the conduct ourselves in an unruly manner, it is most unfortunate. I had reflected that it was very painful for me and unbearable for me that Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, a leader with Parliamentary experience over five decades of Parliamentary experience, had held the position Leader of Opposition in both in state and Parliament, walking into well, acting unruly, and spreading misinformation," Dhankar said.

Kharge said they were trying to draw the government's attention to concerns of lakhs of students who have appeared in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) exam with CBI now probing the allegations of paper leak.

"It is his (Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's) mistake...I went inside to draw his attention. But even then he was not looking... I was drawing attention. He was only looking at the ruling party. When I draw his attention as per the rules, he should look at me, but instead, he deliberately ignored me to insult me. So what was left for me? So to draw attention I would have to either go inside or shout very loudly. So I will definitely say that it is Chairman Sahab's mistake. I say that he should not do this and should maintain the dignity of this Rajya Sabha...There have been such big scams, NEET exam, the paper has been leaked, lakhs of children are worried," Kharge told ANI.

"So to draw attention to the problem of people, we asked for a specific discussion. We did not want to disturb anyone, we only wanted to raise the issues of the students...But he did not give it a chance, did not even pay attention to it and that is why we had to do this," Kharge added.

Health Minister JP Nadda said he had hoped to begin his innings as Leader of House in Rajya Sabha through pleasantries, but the way the democratic traditions are being put at stake and attempt made to make the House hostage.

He said opposition members agreed to 21-hour debate on the motion of thanks in BAC meeting and they could have mentioned their intention on raising NEET issue. He said opposition came with predetermined mindest and government is ready to reply to all issues raised during motion of thanks debate. He said that allotting 21 hours for discussion on motion of thanks is unprecedented.

Former Prime Minister and senior JD-S leader HD Deve Gowda spoke briefly in Rajya Sabha and appealed to the opposition to let the House function smoothly.

He said the CBI is probing the NEET exam controversy and the government cannot take a decision till it is completed.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh later said that a veteran politician like Kharge was ignored and not allowed to speak and hence he was forced to enter the well of the House.

"Such a senior leader was not allowed to speak today. On behalf of the Opposition and the INDIA bloc, Kharge was demanding that the discussion of paper leaks and NEET be taken up first. He kept raising his hand to demand a discussion but his attempts were ignored and in the end, Kharge had to enter the well of the House," Ramesh told ANI.

"Today it is being said that never before has an LoP entered the Well. Yesterday's rival has become today's partner. On August 5, 2019, when the Bill on abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was brought, at that time, the then LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad had entered the Well in protest. Why do I know this? Because I was sitting beside him," Ramesh said on X.

He also took a dig at BJP, saying there is "climate change" in Rajya Sabha

"Climate Change in Rajya Sabha in last 2 days. 1. No shouts of Modi, Modi, Modi by the BJP when he first entered this session. 2. BJD protests along with INDIA parties," he said on another post on X.

Dhankhar later interacted with the Leader of the House Jagat Prakash Nadda, Kharge and Members of Parliament from various political parties in his chamber at Parliament House.

The House took up the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's Address amid protests by opposition over its demands, with BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi initiating the debate.

"Whenever Congress was in power, the Constitution was in danger, we have protected it," Trivedi said.

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora said that despite political differences, "there is more that unites us than divides us".

"A new beginning must call for an end to antagonism. We must replace the "I" with "WE" to build a stronger India," he said.

Deora said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is into his successive third term, has outlasted six Prime Ministers of Pakistan and five of UK

"In the last 10 years, in an age of global anti-incumbency, PM Modi has outlasted six Prime Ministers of Pakistan, five Prime Ministers of the UK, four Presidents of Sri Lanka, three Presidents of the USA and two Presidents of France," he said.

Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X that it is unfortunate that the opposition parties were not allowed to do so.

"The INDIA Opposition bloc wants to have a constructive debate with the Government on the NEET exam and the prevailing paper leak issue. It is unfortunate that we weren't allowed to do so in Parliament today. This is a serious concern that is causing anxiety to lakhs of families across India. We urge the Prime Minister to debate on this issue and give the students the respect they deserve," he said.

Congress MP Phulo Devi Netam was admitted to a Delhi hospital after she felt dizzy and fell while protesting in Rajya Sabha over the NEET issue. Kharge reached the hospital to meet her.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan slammed the opposition and said that their intention is to create ruckus in the House.

"In the motion of thanks, every MP has the right to decide which issue he wants to raise...The government is very serious about the NEET issue. What did they get (opposition) by halting the proceedings of the house ? Their only intention is to create ruckus in the house," Paswan said.

RJD MP Manoj Jha said that the exam should be conducted again.

"The ministers giving it a 'clean chit', where are they? What are they doing?.. The exam should be conducted again. The NTA should also be abolished," Manoj Jha said.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore alleged that Rahul Gandhi's microphone was switched off when he raised the NEET issue in Parliament.

"Rahul Gandhi raised the NEET issue. Who switched off his mic? It is the BJP's plan to have no discussion on NEET, the NTA's failure as an institution. The Education Minister is not coming to parliament. They are not ready to discuss the issue in Parliament. We will continue to raise the issue," Tagore said.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told reporters that the government had taken a series of steps in the wake of NEET-UG controversy.

"The government is ready for every kind of discussion, but everything should happen within tradition and decorum. When the President herself spoke about the exam in her speech yesterday, it showed the government's intention that we are ready to face any issue... The government's responsibility is towards the youth of the country, towards the students of the country... The government is ready to put forth its side, then what is the confusion? ... We are going to take the strictest action and the CBI is going to catch everyone, we will not spare anyone. A credible high-level committee has also been formed for reform, soon the date of all those exams will also be announced. I also request the opposition to come out of politics and join the discussion," he said.

"We are not going to spare anyone. Those who were in charge of NTA have been removed and the responsibility has been given to senior officials. All this is proof of the government's commitment... I want to appeal to the opposition that they should not confuse the students..." he added.

The first session of 18th Lok Sabha began on June 24 with new members taking oath. Rajya Sabha session started on June 27. (ANI)