Today in Politics: Stage set for fireworks in Parliament over NEET paper leak; Ajit Pawar to unveil last Budget before polls
Parliament is likely to witness a fiery day on Friday as the leaders of the Opposition INDIA alliance have decided to raise the issue of alleged paper leaks and irregularities in exams like the NEET-UG strongly in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
The Opposition MPs would move adjournment motions in both Houses in this regard on Friday, demanding a debate on the NEET issue before starting a discussion on the motion of thanks on the President’s address to Parliament, sources said.
The leaders of the INDIA bloc took the decision at their meeting held at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Thursday. Besides the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule (both from the NCP-SP), Derek O'Brien (TMC), Sanjay Raut, Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena-UBT), Sanjay Singh, Sandeep Pathak (both AAP), N K Premachandran (RSP) and Mahua Majhi (JMM) attend the meeting.
The INDIA alliance leaders have also decided to hold a protest on Monday morning before the parliamentary proceedings start, to rake up the issue of alleged “political vendetta" against the Opposition leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, and three West Bengal ministers, through agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income-Tax (I-T) department, sources said.
On Thursday, while addressing both Houses of Parliament in the first session after the recent Lok Sabha polls, President Droupadi Murmu made a pointed reference to a major cause of concern for millions of people – alleged paper leaks and irregularities leading to cancellation of UGC-NET, postponement of CSIR UGC-NET and NEET PG, and some retests of NEET (UG) 2024. The President said there would be a fair probe into such cases and that the guilty would be punished, reported Vikas Pathak.
Referring to the paper leaks issue which the INDIA alliance has been raking up vigorously to target the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, Murmu said, “Regarding the recent instances of paper leak in some examinations, my government is committed to a fair investigation and ensuring strict punishment to the culprits.”
The President also said, “Even earlier, we have witnessed many instances of paper leaks in different states. It is important that we rise above party politics and undertake concrete measures nationwide. Parliament has also enacted a strict law against unfair means in examinations. My government is working towards major reforms in examination related bodies, their functioning and all aspects of the examination process.”
BJP leader and former Union minister Anurag Thakur is scheduled to initiate the discussion on motion of thanks on the President's address in the Lok Sabha on Friday. His party colleague and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi would initiate the discussion on the motion in the Rajya Sabha.
The debate on the motion in both the Houses is likely to see both Treasury and Opposition benches launching sharp attacks on each other.
Ajit Pawar to present budget
After the debacle of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra in the recent Lok Sabha polls, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is set to present the state budget in the state Assembly during the monsoon session Friday.
Ahead of the state Assembly elections slated for October, the Eknath Shinde-led government is set to play a balancing act and reach out to all castes and communities in the budget.
While the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is set to corner the government over several issues during the monsoon session, the ruling alliance has planned to counter it with a populist, “please all election budget” just a few months before the Assembly polls.
Karnataka BJP’s stir
The BJP in Karnataka will stage statewide protests on Friday to demand the resignation of CM Siddaramaiah in connection with the alleged financial irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited (KMVSTDC).
State BJP ST morcha chief Bangaru Hanumanthu said the agitation will take place in all the district and taluk headquarters and major villages. “We will not stop our protests till the Chief Minister resigns from his post. On June 28, we are going to stage a vehement protest across the state and lay siege to the offices of the deputy commissioners in all the districts,” he said.
The alleged scam came to fore after accounts superintendent of the KMVSTDC Chandrasekharan P was found dead on May 21. He wrote a suicide note alleging illegal transfer of money from the state-run corporation to various bank accounts. Subsequently two officials were suspended. With mounting pressure ST welfare minister Nagendra resigned on May 29.
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