The Lok Sabha experienced significant commotion on July 1 as opposition leaders, led by Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi, walked out after Speaker Om Birla refused to hold a special one-day discussion on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.
Gandhi, serving as Leader of the Opposition, brought up the NEET irregularities shortly after the Lok Sabha convened. Defene Minister Rajnath Singh responded, stating that a separate discussion could not take place until the House concluded the motion of thanks on the President’s address.
"We sought a one-day discussion on NEET. This issue impacts over two crore students. There have been 70 instances of paper leaks. We would appreciate a separate discussion," Gandhi stated.
Speaker Om Birla denied this request, emphasizing that other matters could be addressed only after the motion of thanks on the President’s address was completed.
Key Highlights from Today's Parliament Session:
1. Discussion Request Denied: Rahul Gandhi requested a one-day discussion on NEET-UG exam malpractices. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh rejected the request, citing parliamentary rules and procedures.
"In my extensive parliamentary experience, no other issue has been addressed during the motion of thanks on the President's address. Other issues can be discussed afterward," Singh said.
2. Speaker's Stance: Speaker Om Birla supported Singh's position, highlighting the absence of a precedent for discussing other issues during the motion of thanks. He noted that members could submit a separate notice for a NEET discussion.
3. Opposition Walkout: When Speaker Birla invited BJP member Anurag Thakur to commence the discussion on the motion of thanks, opposition members exited the chamber in protest. Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticized their behavior as contrary to parliamentary decorum.
4. Microphone Allegations Addressed: Amidst the uproar, Speaker Birla addressed allegations of microphones being switched off. "Some MPs claim that the Speaker controls the microphone, but this is not true," he clarified. Rahul Gandhi had previously alleged his microphone was turned off during a NEET discussion.
5. Rajya Sabha Debate: The Rajya Sabha saw a vigorous debate, with Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge accusing the ruling party of prioritizing slogans over development. Kharge criticized the President's address for omitting mentions of the poor, Dalits, and minorities and accused Prime Minister Modi of divisive rhetoric.
6. Light-Hearted Moments: The Rajya Sabha session also included humorous exchanges between Kharge and Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. When Kharge mentioned knee pain preventing him from standing long, Dhankhar allowed him to speak while seated and joked about discussing the confusion over MPs' names.
7. Agniveer Scheme Controversy: The session grew tense when Kharge demanded the rollback of the Agniveer recruitment scheme, labeling it as poorly planned and demoralizing for the youth.
8. Protest Outside Parliament: Earlier in the day, several MPs from the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, protested outside Parliament, accusing the government of misusing investigative agencies to target opposition leaders. AAP MP Raghav Chadha displayed a poster depicting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal behind bars.
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