Opposition demands Pradhan's resignation before NEET debate in Parliament

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted for the fourth day on Thursday, with opposition protests over the NEET paper leak controversy and demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan forcing multiple adjournments.

The House was adjourned for the day, while opposition protests forced the Rajya Sabha to be adjourned till 3 pm. Meanwhile, the ruling side has accused the Opposition of trying to avoid a debate.

In the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was ready to discuss the issue in both Houses without any preconditions. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, however, maintained that Pradhan must resign before any debate could take place.

As treasury and Opposition benches traded slogans, with the ruling alliance demanding a discussion and the Opposition pressing for Pradhan's resignation, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan adjourned the House till 2 pm. But when it met again, the situation did not ease, forcing another adjournment till 3 pm. 

Rijiju said all parties, including those in the NDA, had sought a discussion on the alleged NEET question paper leak. He said meetings with Kharge and other Opposition leaders had raised hopes of a debate on Thursday, but accused the Congress of imposing fresh conditions.
"The duration and other contours of the debate can be decided, but there should be no conditions attached. Putting conditions gives rise to suspicion that you want to stall the discussion," he said, urging the Opposition not to politicise the issue.

In the Lok Sabha, Rijiju reiterated that the government was willing to debate the issue and accused the Opposition of "trying to run away" from the discussion by attaching preconditions.

He said the government was ready to present its side on the alleged paper leak and that Opposition members could speak for as long as they wanted, even if the debate lasted two days.
"The Opposition can decide the date and duration of the discussion in both Houses. We have approached the Congress and other Opposition parties for the debate," Rijiju said after the House reconvened at noon.

As the Lok Sabha met at 2 pm after two adjournments, opposition members started raising slogans.

Dileep Saikia, who was in the Chair, urged the protesting members to maintain the decorum of the House and said that disrupting the proceedings was not correct. Rijiju accused the opposition of attaching pre-conditions and trying to run away from a debate on the NEET paper leak issue.

Earlier, during Question Hour, Speaker Om Birla appealed to members to allow the House to function, saying Question Hour was the most important part of the day's proceedings.
"After the Question Hour, the House is ready to discuss every issue. I will speak to the government, and the government is also ready for discussions. I appeal to all members to participate in the discussion after the Question Hour," Birla said.

Amid the repeated disruptions, senior Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, met Birla to press for a discussion on the NEET paper leak. Trinamool Congress MPs Saugata Roy and Mahua Moitra were also present at the meeting.

Thursday marked the fourth consecutive day of disruptions in Parliament since the Monsoon Session began on Monday. The Opposition has also accused the government of using batons and tear gas against students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak earlier this week. Opposition MPs have staged demonstrations inside Parliament, demanding Pradhan's resignation over the handling of the controversy.

The protests began last month after allegations that the medical entrance examination paper had been leaked, affecting around 2 million candidates across the country.