Updated: June 29, 2024 12:49 AM IST 
18th Lok Sabha: The NEET-UG controversy continued to trigger chaos in both houses of the Parliament on Friday as the opposition INDIA bloc persisted on its demand to hold a discussion on the alleged irregularities and paper leak in the medical entrance exam which has sparked massive nationwide protests.
The Congress-led opposition stood firm on its demand of holding a discussion on NEET irregularities even as the BJP-led NDA government insisted on first completing the motion of thanks to the presidential address, leading to a stalemate following which both houses were adjourned with the Lok Sabha adjourned till Monday, July 1.
In the Lok Sabha, no business could be conducted with the Opposition standing firm on its demand for a discussion on NEET, bringing all House business to a grinding halt.
Expressing disappointment that no discussion was held in the parliament over the NEET row, Congress MP Manish Tewari termed the NEET controversy and the July 1 implementation of the three new criminal laws, as “germane issues”.
“There are two germane issues. The first is NEET where you have lakhs of students impacted as a result of the paper leak, and the second is those criminal laws which are to be implemented from 1st July 2024. So, an adjournment motion notice had been given on NEET by the INDIA Alliance partners. I had specifically given a notice concerning the criminal laws, that their implementation must be stopped. Unfortunately, this was not discussed,” the Chandigarh MP said.
Actor and first-time MP Kangana Ranaut also weighed in on the chaos in the Lok Sabha, castigating the opposition’s “ill-conduct” inside the House and accusing them of acting in an arbitrary manner.
“You saw their conduct there. Speaker also rebuked them, but it seems that they (Opposition) are not ready to listen to anyone. We are here for the first time and we too were flummoxed as to what has happened. It felt bad to see them not letting anyone speak. Forgetting the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to President’s Address, they were acting arbitrarily. I don’t think such conduct should be acceptable,” the Mandi MP told news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, in the Upper House, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar came at loggerheads as Kharge, followed by other opposition members, stormed the Well of the House and accused the Chairman of “ignoring” the Opposition members who were demanding a discussion on the NEET issue.
The Congress President later took potshots at the Dhankar, claiming that it was the chairman’s fault because he “ignored him” when he was asking for a discussion over the NEET irregularities issue.
“It is his mistake. I went inside to draw his attention. But even then he was not looking at us but was only paying attention to 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,” Kharge alleged.
“So what was left for me? So to draw attention I would have to either go inside or shout very loudly. So I will 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, the NEET exam, the paper has been leaked, and lakhs of children are worried. So to draw attention to the problem of people, we asked for a specific discussion,” the Congress chief said.
Earlier, Kharge’s microphone was reportedly turned off when he raised the demand for holding a discussion on the NEET-UG row.
कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष @kharge ने #NEET पेपर लीक का मामला संसद में उठाया तो माइक ऑफ कर दिया गया?
— Nidhi Taneja (@NidhiTanejaa) June 28, 2024
“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,” he added.
Responding to the ruckus in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankar said he was “shocked and pained” by the happenings which occured in the Upper House.
“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,” the Rajya Sabha chairman said.
(With ANI inputs)
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