Parliament should discuss NEET row first: Rahul

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Friday following a tumultuous session over the NEET controversy, as the Opposition demanded a discussion on alleged irregularities in the conduct of the medical entrance exam.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi emphasised the significance of the issue saying, "The NEET issue is the most important issue of the day, and the Opposition parties have agreed that it should be taken up for discussion before anything else. The youth are worried and they do not know what is going to happen. A message and assurance should go to the youth from Parliament that India's government and the Opposition are together in raising the concerns of students," Gandhi stated.

Gandhi noted that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc considered the NEET issue the most pressing. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate a respectful and thorough discussion on the issue affecting the youth.

Despite the request, Speaker Om Birla rejected the demand for an adjournment to discuss the issue, stating that the House was scheduled to discuss the 'Motion of Thanks' on the President's address to Parliament.

When the Lok Sabha reassembled at noon after the first adjournment, Opposition members persisted in their demand for a discussion on NEET-related issues. Both Speaker Birla and Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju suggested that the matter could be addressed during the debate on the 'Motion of Thanks'.

"There are certain norms of Parliament that have to be followed and committees have to be formed," Birla remarked. In response, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that students are unaware of these norms and are simply seeking justice.

As members from Congress, TMC, and DMK stormed the Well, minister Rijiju noted that it was unprecedented for the Opposition to demand a discussion on an issue before the House took up the Motion of Thanks.

As the uproar continued, Speaker Birla reminded members of their duty to raise and discuss issues rather than disrupt proceedings. "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?" he said.

The continued disruption led the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings until Monday. Amid the chaos, TMC member S.K. Nurul Islam was sworn in as Lok Sabha member.

Earlier in the day, Opposition members had called for an adjournment motion to suspend all business and discuss NEET-related matters. Speaker Birla insisted on first addressing obituary references to 13 former members, including ex-Lok Sabha speaker and Maharashtra former chief minister Manohar Joshi.

Following the adjournment, minister Rijiju criticised Congress for stalling the House proceedings and accused it of disregarding parliamentary conventions. "The government is ready for discussion on any issue, but the attitude of the Congress to stall parliamentary proceedings is not good. I condemn the manner in which the Congress is flouting parliamentary traditions and conventions," he said.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Gandhi reiterated the need for an immediate discussion on the NEET issue before taking up the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.