The government on Wednesday said it has agreed to hold a comprehensive debate on the issue in the Lok Sabha amid intense pressure from opposition parties over the NEET exam question paper leak. The government has made it clear that street protests will not yield any results and therefore this sensitive issue should be discussed in Parliament.
Speaker Om Birla called on Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to issue a statement as the Lok Sabha resumed after adjournment on Wednesday afternoon. Senior Congress leader KC Benugopal intervened and said the opposition was demanding not only talks but also the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He said the entire country feels the pain of the students and demanded that all other activities of Parliament be suspended and this burning issue be given top priority.
In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju said the government is ready to discuss the NIT question paper leak. However, he also said that the speaker must first discuss with the leaders of all parties to determine the rules, date and duration of the discussion. The minister later told reporters that there is a need for a comprehensive consultation to inform the people about the steps taken by the government. He criticized the opposition for discussing such sensitive issues related to the youth in Parliament and not sitting on the streets and asserted that street protests would yield no results.
After hearing the views of all sides, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the government has agreed to hold open talks. He asked the opposition parties to participate in detailed debate instead of running to the floor of the House to disrupt the proceedings. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that BJP and Congress MPs were given an opportunity to speak but he was not given that opportunity. He said, if the interests of the students and youth are undermined, the opposition will be forced to take to the streets and protest.
Most of the Congress and Samajwadi Party MPs appeared in the House in black to protest the NIT question paper leak and the crackdown on protesters at various places, including the Jantar Mantar. Meanwhile, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Speaker Om Birla separately at Parliament House.
The opposition parties are currently demanding the resignation of the Education Minister and a detailed discussion in Parliament over the failure to control the NEET exam irregularities and the controversy surrounding it. It remains to be seen how the discussion takes shape in the next meeting of party leaders led by the Speaker.
