Combative opposition stalls House over NEET
NEW DELHI: Both Houses of Parliament witnessed stormy scenes on Friday over the opposition’s demand for a discussion on alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourning the House within 15 minutes in the morning.
Rajya Sabha saw repeated adjournments as opposition parties sought an immediate discussion even as the House took up the motion of thanks on the President’s address.
In Lok Sabha, opposition benches refused to allow the House to transact business till a discussion was held on NEET and other exam-related issues. Birla adjourned the House soon after obituary references were over as the opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, refused to relent. The House was first adjourned till 12 noon and later for the day.
Birla and parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told opposition members that they could discuss the matter during the course of the motion of thanks on the President’s address. “There is a difference between protest on the road and protest inside the House. You (opposition) don’t want the House to run? You don’t want to discuss NEET during the motion of thanks discussion?” Birla asked.
Rijiju said it had never happened that the House discussed any issue before a debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address.
Rahul alleged that his mike was switched off as he was trying to speak, to which the Speaker said he had no provision to switch off the mike of any member.
Rahul later said in a video statement, “India bloc wants to have a constructive debate with govt on NEET exam and the paper leak issue. It is unfortunate that we were not allowed to do so in Parliament today.”
“We wanted to give a joint message to students on behalf of opposition and govt that we consider this an important issue,” he added.
Similar scenes unfolded in Rajya Sabha. Opposition members, including leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, trooped into the well of the House and kept up their protests amid repeated adjournments. An upset chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, “It was very painful for me, unbelievable for me, that Mallikarjun Kharge, a leader with parliamentary experience of over five decades… walked into the well of the House. What I have seen is that this institution was tarnished, tainted and demeaned.”
Leader of House J P Nadda asked Congress why it first agreed to a discussion on the President’s address during the business advisory committee meeting on Thursday and then submitted notices for suspension of business to discuss NEET.
Outside the House, Kharge said it was not his intention to enter the well but he did so as he was not being seen and heard by the Chair.
When the House reassembled at 2 pm, BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi, who earlier initiated the discussion on the motion of thanks, but was repeatedly interrupted. BJP members participated in the discussion amid a walkout by opposition parties.
NEW DELHI: Both Houses of Parliament witnessed stormy scenes on Friday over the opposition’s demand for a discussion on alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourning the House within 15 minutes in the morning.
Rajya Sabha saw repeated adjournments as opposition parties sought an immediate discussion even as the House took up the motion of thanks on the President’s address.
In Lok Sabha, opposition benches refused to allow the House to transact business till a discussion was held on NEET and other exam-related issues. Birla adjourned the House soon after obituary references were over as the opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, refused to relent. The House was first adjourned till 12 noon and later for the day.
Birla and parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told opposition members that they could discuss the matter during the course of the motion of thanks on the President’s address. “There is a difference between protest on the road and protest inside the House. You (opposition) don’t want the House to run? You don’t want to discuss NEET during the motion of thanks discussion?” Birla asked.
Rijiju said it had never happened that the House discussed any issue before a debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address.
Rahul alleged that his mike was switched off as he was trying to speak, to which the Speaker said he had no provision to switch off the mike of any member.
Rahul later said in a video statement, “India bloc wants to have a constructive debate with govt on NEET exam and the paper leak issue. It is unfortunate that we were not allowed to do so in Parliament today.”
“We wanted to give a joint message to students on behalf of opposition and govt that we consider this an important issue,” he added.
Similar scenes unfolded in Rajya Sabha. Opposition members, including leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, trooped into the well of the House and kept up their protests amid repeated adjournments. An upset chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, “It was very painful for me, unbelievable for me, that Mallikarjun Kharge, a leader with parliamentary experience of over five decades… walked into the well of the House. What I have seen is that this institution was tarnished, tainted and demeaned.”
Leader of House J P Nadda asked Congress why it first agreed to a discussion on the President’s address during the business advisory committee meeting on Thursday and then submitted notices for suspension of business to discuss NEET.
Outside the House, Kharge said it was not his intention to enter the well but he did so as he was not being seen and heard by the Chair.
When the House reassembled at 2 pm, BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi, who earlier initiated the discussion on the motion of thanks, but was repeatedly interrupted. BJP members participated in the discussion amid a walkout by opposition parties.