Sravasti Dasgupta 
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Friday (June 28) was adjourned till Monday, July 1, after opposition parties demanded a dedicated discussion on paper leaks in the NEET undergraduate examination that have affected students and led to nationwide protests. The government said that all discussions can only be taken up during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
Prior to the commencement of the session on Friday, the Congress had moved adjournment motions in both houses of parliament demanding a discussion on the UGC NET, NEET and the role of the National Testing Agency (NTA) that conducts these exams.
When the session started, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the discussion can be taken up during the Motion of Thanks debate.
As leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi stood up to speak, opposition MPs alleged that his microphone had been switched off.
“I don’t switch off mics. I have told you before as well that I don’t have any buttons here,” said Birla.
“I am urging you to speak on the issue during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address as what you say now will not go on record,” he said.
‘To respect students…’
Gandhi said that the motions were moved to give a message to the students.
“We wanted to give a joint message to the students of India, on behalf of Opposition and Government – that we consider this an important issue. So, we thought that to respect students we will have a discussion on NEET today.. a dedicated discussion,” he said.
Earlier before the session started Gandhi, told reporters outside parliament that a decision had been taken by the floor leaders of INDIA parties on Thursday that the NEET issue be discussed in the House.
“We, the INDIA parties feel that the NEET issue is the biggest issue in the country now and should be discussed before the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address. I request the Prime Minister that this is a youth issue and it should be discussed in a proper manner. You should also join the discussion, because this is a youth issue. This message should go out from the Parliament that the Government and the Opposition of India are talking together about the students,” he said.
The suspension of listed business notice moved by Congress MP Manickam Tagore in the Lok Sabha stated that a discussion be held on the “unprecedented cases of paper leaks in conduct of exams including NEET-UG, UGC NET and the failure of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Also read: In Haryana, Six Toppers Wrote the NEET Exam at a School Run by a BJP Leader’s Family
However the motion was not taken up for discussion by the Chair amid slogans raised from the opposition benches, which led to the House being adjourned till noon.
When the Lok Sabha reconvened at noon, opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on NEET again while Birla said that the house should be allowed to function.
“In the initial days of the session, not allowing the House to function properly is against the principles of parliamentary democracy. I urge you that you can raise this issue during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address,” he said.
‘Never happened in the history of parliament’
Union minister for parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju said that never in history has any issue been taken up for discussion before a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
“This has never happened in the history of parliament that any other issue has been taken up for discussion before a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. This is for the first time that the Congress party and their allies have tried to obstruct the motion and broken tradition. I condemn this move. You as the Speaker have also stated that you will give appropriate time during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. We are ready to give all answers during the debate. The House should be allowed to function,” he said.
Amid loud protests from the opposition benches, Birla reiterated his statement from the first day of the session when he said that there should be a difference between “protests on the streets and protests in the House”. He then adjourned the House till Monday, July 1.