The second week of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha is set to witness heated debates and fiery exchanges between the BJP-led NDA government and the opposition on issues ranging from the NEET paper leak row to the Agnipath scheme to inflation when both the houses would reconvene on Monday, July 1.
The BJP is set to initiate the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address led by BJP Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur, which would be followed by first-time MP Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of BJP stalwart late Sushma Swaraj.
The Lok Sabha has allocated 16 hours for the debate on the Motion of Thanks, which will conclude with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply on Tuesday. Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, 21 hours have been allotted for the debate, and the prime minister is likely to reply on Wednesday.
Opposition's protest over NEET-leak row:
The opposition parties have rocked the first week of the Parliament session over the NEET-UG exam leak issue. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha witnessed several adjournments on Friday, with Congress and other opposition parties insisting on a debate on the NEET-UG row. Opposition pressed for the acceptance of their adjournment notices seeking debate on the NEET-UG controversy. Congress leader and LoP Rahul Gandhi sought to raise the NEET-UG issue, but the speaker dismissed the request saying that there was no provision for discussion on any other issue when the House has to take up motion of thanks on the President's address.
Congress MP Deepender Hooda, meanwhile, claimed the ruckus erupted after Gandhi's mic was switched off. "The future of the youth has been spoiled due to the continuous paper leaks in the country. The maximum number of paper leak cases have been seen in Haryana. The paper was leaked in the NEET exam and the union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan is running away from responsibility. We had brought up a discussion on this and when it was raised in the House, the mike was switched off. If the mike of the Leader of the Opposition is switched off, then there will be anger among other Opposition MPs and the same happened in the House... We demand that this issue be discussed," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Congress MP Deepender Hooda, meanwhile, claimed the ruckus erupted after Gandhi's mic was switched off. "The future of the youth has been spoiled due to the continuous paper leaks in the country. The maximum number of paper leak cases have been seen in Haryana. The paper was leaked in the NEET exam and the union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan is running away from responsibility. We had brought up a discussion on this and when it was raised in the House, the mike was switched off. If the mike of the Leader of the Opposition is switched off, then there will be anger among other Opposition MPs and the same happened in the House... We demand that this issue be discussed," he said.
{{/usCountry}}The Rajya Sabha had also witnessed vociferous protests during the debate with LoP Mallikarjun Kharge trooping into the Well of the House to join fellow members. Vice President and Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that he has been pained over Kharge's act. The opposition members later staged a walk out.
Kharge, however said they were trying to draw the government's attention to concerns of lakhs of students who have appeared in the exam with CBI now probing the allegations of paper leak.
Health Minister JP Nadda said he had hoped to begin his innings as Leader of House in Rajya Sabha through pleasantries, but the way the democratic traditions are being put at stake and attempt made to make the House hostage.
(With inputs from agencies)