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Both Houses adjourned after NEET issue rocks Parliament
Opposition uproar over NEET irregularities in Parliament leads to adjournment, with Congress MP fainting. PM Modi set to address debate on Tuesday.
The issue of irregularities in the conduct of NEET rocked both Houses of Parliament on Friday with Rajya Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge rushing to the well of the House along with all Opposition floor leaders, the BJD joining the protests for the first time, and repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha, where the INDIA bloc has 236 MPs.
Congress MP Phulo Devi Netam fainted in the Upper House and was admitted to RML hospital. Thereafter, the entire Opposition walked out of the House.
The government was keen to stick to convention and discuss the President’s speech, while the Opposition was equally keen to raise the NEET issue.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla pointed out that Zero Hour and adjournment motions cannot be allowed during the debate on the President’s speech. Birla added that all issues (including NEET) could be raised during the main debate. In the Rajya Sabha, chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed the Opposition and said, “The kind of ignoble conduct will hurt every Indian, will put this institution to shame. We are here elected, get the prestige of being members of the upper house, the house of elders. If in this house we conduct ourselves in this unruly manner, it is most unfortunate.”
Speaking to reporters, Kharge said: “I would like to tell the Rajya Sabha Chairman that his step-motherly treatment towards the Opposition today has “tainted the history of Indian Parliament”!”
Opposition-sponsored protests led to the Lok Sabha’s adjournment till Monday but the Upper House continued to run. Opposition leaders said they would participate in the debate on President’s speech from Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reply to the debate in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
In the Lower House, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi argued for an adjournment motion and said, “For the students of India, we wanted to give a joint message from Opposition and the government that we consider this issue as important. We thought we will have a dedicated discussion to show our respect for students. Now, the issue is, there are two forces…” Gandhi couldn’t finish his speech as microphones were turned off, leading to another round of protests.
Outside the House, Gandhi said, “I request the Prime Minister that this is an issue of the youth and it should be discussed properly and it should be a respectful discussion. We will do it respectfully. You should also join the discussion, you should also participate because this is a matter of the youth. A message should go from Parliament that the Indian government and the Opposition are talking about the students together.”
In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar also pointed out that Opposition can raise its issues during the debate on President’s speech.
With Dhankhar refusing to allow NEET debate, Opposition leaders stormed into the Well of the House — led by Kharge. “All other floor leaders were also in the Well in a rare show of strength and solidarity,” said a senior Opposition leader who asked not to be named.
Leaders of the Biju Janata Dal, which supported many of the NDA’s bills between 2014 and 2024, were among the MPs protesting the issue.
Kharge’s presence in the Well was noted by Dhankhar.
“It was very painful for me, unbelievable for me, that Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, a leader with parliamentary experience of over five decades, having held position of leader of opposition both in the state and in Parliament, walked into well of the house. The deputy leader of the party, Pramod Tiwari, also walked in. Senior leaders, Mukul Wasnik, also was there. It was a very painful moment for me. We expect leader of the opposition and leader of the house to exemplify their conduct that is worth emulating,” he said.
But Kharge told reporters that the Opposition had no other option.
“We wanted to raise the voice of lakhs of youth affected by the NEET scam by discussing it in the House under Rule 267. So to draw attention to the problem of the people, we asked for a special discussion. We did not want to trouble anyone. But they did not give it a chance.”
“The Chairman was only looking at the ruling party. I raised my hand, stood up, followed parliamentary decorum and rules for 10 minutes to draw his attention, yet he did not look at the Leader of the Opposition in the House,” Kharge added.
He said that when the LoP in the house draws the chair’s attention, the latter is expected to look at him. “Instead, he deliberately ignored me to humiliate me.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi later released a video in which he said: “The INDIA Opposition bloc wants to have a constructive debate with the Government on the NEET exam and the prevailing paper leak issue. It is unfortunate that we weren’t allowed to do so in Parliament today. This is a serious concern that is causing anxiety to lakhs of families across India. We urge the Prime Minister to debate on this issue and give the students the respect they deserve.”
Opposition leaders indicated that they would participate in the debate on President’s speech from Monday. This current session will end on Wednesday and restart on July 22.
