New Delhi, July 23: Parliament remained paralysed for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday as the standoff between the government and the Opposition over the NEET examination issue continued, with both sides refusing to yield on their respective positions, preventing normal legislative business in both Houses.
The deadlock persisted despite the government’s repeated assertion that it was prepared for a detailed discussion on the alleged NEET paper leak issue, while the Opposition maintained that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign before any debate could begin.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government had consistently supported a discussion on the NEET issue from the outset and accused the Opposition of using the matter to disrupt Parliament instead of participating in a debate.
Rijiju said the government had held discussions with Opposition leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, to facilitate a debate in the House. He stated that the government had requested the Opposition to mutually decide the duration and format of the discussion and urged it not to attach preconditions to the proceedings.
According to Rijiju, the conduct of the Opposition suggested it was unwilling to engage in a serious discussion on an issue affecting students and was instead obstructing the functioning of Parliament by insisting on prior conditions.
He also said that all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) supported a comprehensive discussion on the NEET issue in Parliament. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message, Rijiju said the government remained committed to taking stringent action against those involved in examination paper leaks.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister informed the House that fast-track courts had been constituted to ensure the speedy trial of cases related to the NEET paper leak, adding that the move was intended to secure swift punishment for those found guilty.
Appealing to the Opposition to allow Parliament to function, Rijiju urged it to withdraw its conditions so that discussions on the NEET issue could begin without further disruption. He also maintained that the issue should not be politicised and deserved a detailed debate in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
The Opposition, however, rejected the government’s position and reiterated its demand that the Union Education Minister resign, holding him accountable for the alleged irregularities in the examination process. As neither side altered its stand, proceedings in both Houses continued to face repeated disruptions, extending the parliamentary impasse into its fourth day.
