Uproar in both houses on NEET, Lok Sabha adjourned for day, chaos in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Friday as the Opposition insisted on a discussion over alleged Neet-UG irregularities ahead of the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. The Rajya Sabha also witnessed repeated adjournments following an uproar by the Opposition parties demanding immediate discussion on the Neet issue as the House took up the Motion of Thanks to the President's address.

When the Rajya Sabha reassembled at 2:30 pm after the third adjournment, the Opposition leaders, despite Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's intervention, started sloganeering again. Soon after, they staged a walkout and were also joined by members of the BJD. The House, however, continued with the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address.

Expressing anguish over the prevailing situation in the House, Mr Dhankhar said that it was "unbelievable" that Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge entered the Well of the House to protest.

"It was very painful for me, unbelievable for me, that Mr Kharge, a leader with parliamentary experience of over five decades, walked into the Well of the House… We expect the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the House to exemplify their conduct that is worth emulating," he said.

In the Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the Neet issue is important for the whole country and the Opposition wants a dedicated discussion in the House on the matter; hence, the adjournment motion should be accepted.

Rejecting the Opposition demand for adjournment, Speaker Om Birla said that he could not allow it as the House was about to take up the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on Thursday.

Mr Gandhi also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a "respectful" and good discussion in Parliament on the issue of alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Neet exam as it concerns the country's youth.

As the Lok Sabha reassembled at noon after the first adjournment, the Opposition leaders continued with their demand for a discussion on matters related to the Neet.

Mr Birla and parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told the Opposition members that they can discuss the Neet matter during the course of the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.

Mr Birla said that there are certain norms of Parliament that have to be followed and committees have to be formed. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, however, said that students are not aware of it and are only demanding justice.

As members from the Congress, the TMC and the DMK parties stormed into the Well of the House, Mr Rijiju said that it is for the first time that the Opposition is seen demanding a discussion on an issue before the House takes up the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.

"I assure the Opposition we will answer any issue that you raise during the Motion of Thanks discussion," the minister said.

As members continued with sloganeering, Mr Birla said the people have elected members to this House so that they can raise and discuss issues and not disrupt the proceedings.

"There is a difference between protests on the road and protests inside the House. You (the Opposition) don't want the House to run? You don't want to discuss the Neet issue during the Motion of Thanks discussion?" the Speaker asked.

As the House continued to see uproar, Mr Birla adjourned the proceedings till Monday.

Amid din, TMC member S.K. Nurul Islam took oath as a Lok Sabha member.

Earlier, when the House met in the morning, the Opposition members were on their feet seeking the acceptance of an adjournment motion to suspend all business and discuss matters related to Neet.

The Speaker, however, said that he would first take up the obituary references to 13 former members, including ex-Lok Sabha speaker and ex-Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi.

When the obituary references were over, the Opposition members were once again on their feet. Mr Gandhi said that the adjournment motion should be accepted as Neet is an important issue.
However, Mr Birla said that he could not allow it. "You can raise all matters in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. You will get enough time. But I can't allow you to raise any other issue during the debate on the Motion of Thanks. It was already decided and mentioned in the bulletin too," the Speaker said.

After Lok Sabha adjourned for the day, Mr Rijiju slammed the Congress for stalling the House proceedings and accused it of flouting 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," the minister said.

Mr Rijiju mentioned that, as per parliamentary conventions and traditions, the debate on the Motion of Thanks takes precedence over every other discussion in the House.

Addressing the media in the Parliament complex, Mr Gandhi said that the Neet issue should be discussed before the Motion of Thanks on the President's address is taken up.

“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," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

Interacting with the media after the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day amid the Opposition protests, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government is ready for discussion on the medical entrance exam Neet, but that should take place as per tradition and by maintaining decorum.

"The government is ready for every kind of discussion, but everything should happen following norms and maintaining decorum. The President spoke about the exam in her speech yesterday and it shows the government's intention that we are ready to face any issue," Mr Pradhan said outside Parliament.