Ready for detailed discussion on NEET leak, street protests won’t help: Centre to Opposition
NEW DELHI.JULY 22 : With the Opposition bring the heat over the NEET paper leak, the government on Wednesday said it was willing to hold a detailed discussion on the issue in the Lok Sabha, while asserting that street protests would not yield any results.
As the Lok Sabha reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, Speaker Om Birla asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to make a statement.
However, Congress leader KC Venugopal intervened, saying the Opposition was also seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“Our demand is simple. When the entire nation is feeling the pain of our students – all other business of the House should be set aside and this burning issue should be top priority for Parliament,” Venugopal said.
Rijiju said the government was willing to discuss the NEET paper leak, but added that the Speaker would first have to meet floor leaders of all parties to decide the rule under which the discussion would be held, as well as its date and duration.
Later, speaking to reporters, Rijiju said the government was ready for a “detailed” discussion “as the people should know the steps taken by the government.”
He accused the Opposition of taking to the streets instead of debating the issue in Parliament, and said sensitive issues concerning the youth should be discussed in the House.
Street protests will not yield results, he underlined.
In the Lok Sabha, Birla said he had heard the views of all sides and noted the government’s willingness to hold a discussion with an open mind. He urged Opposition parties to participate in a detailed debate instead of rushing to the Well of the House and disrupting proceedings.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said he was disappointed that while BJP and Congress members were allowed to speak, he was not. He said the Opposition was bound to protest on the streets if the interests of students and the youth were harmed.
Most Congress and Samajwadi Party MPs wore black clothes in the House to protest the NEET paper leak and the police crackdown on protesters at Jantar Mantar and other locations.
Separately, Pradhan met Birla in Parliament House.
The Opposition has been demanding a discussion on the NEET paper leak and is also seeking Pradhan’s resignation over the handling of the controversy surrounding the alleged examination irregularities.
-PTI
