Cockroach Janta Party chief spokesperson Saurav Das on Sunday criticised the disallowing of questions related to NEET and students' protest in the Lok Sabha, saying they were “perfectly legitimate”.
Das claimed that the three sets of questions had been blocked “at the behest of the Union government”, adding that these pertained to NEET application fees' refund, and denial of basic amenities to CJP protesters during the Jantar Mantar agitation.
The CJP co-convenor further asked where the government should be “held accountable”, also questioning Union home minister Amit Shah's absence from the Parliament sessions.
“If these questions cannot be asked in Parliament, where exactly is the Government supposed to be held accountable? Through protests? Why did Home Minister Amit Shah not come before Parliament during those crucial weeks and answer questions concerning the police action against protesters?” Das said in a post on X.
The questions came months after the CJP led protests over the alleged irregularities in NEET and called for the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister. The agitation continued for multiple weeks at Jantar Mantar before the organisation announced the withdrawal of the protest following negotiations with the government and Pradhan's resignation.
What were the alleged ‘disallowed’ questions?
{{/usCountry}}The questions came months after the CJP led protests over the alleged irregularities in NEET and called for the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister. The agitation continued for multiple weeks at Jantar Mantar before the organisation announced the withdrawal of the protest following negotiations with the government and Pradhan's resignation.
What were the alleged ‘disallowed’ questions?
{{/usCountry}}In his post on X, Saurav Das said that Lok Sabha MP Matheswaran VS, who belongs to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and is a representative from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu, had sought answers from the Union home ministry and Union education ministry through three sets of questions. The questions sought answers on “refund of application fees for NEET-UG 2026” and “growing public distrust in the government,” Das claimed.
Das said the questions also related to denial of drinking water and sanitation facilities to CJP protesters in Delhi, the government's engagement with protesting students and youth, “student welfare, paper leaks and education reforms”, and the “treatment of citizens exercising their fundamental right to peaceful protest.”
‘Bizarre justifications…can’t gag Parliament'
Listing out the sets of questions, Das said they had been blocked under Rule 41(2), including clauses (i), (iv), (v), (xviii) and (xxii). He claimed that these were “very bizarre justifications” to reject “perfectly legitimate questions.” He further said the Centre “can't gag the Parliament” or “ignore the youth,” adding that this was not “our idea of India.”
The CJP chief spokesperson said it was the “right of an MP” to question the government, adding that Question Hour exists for seeking accountability from the executive. “The right of an MP to question the Executive is not some procedural nuisance but is actually the heart of parliamentary democracy. Question Hour exists precisely because ministers who exercise enormous public power must answer to the elected representatives of the people,” Das said, adding that if this does not happen, people would be “forced to come out on the roads.”