NEET scam rocks Parliament; LS Motion of Thanks stalled

NEET scam rocks Parliament; LS Motion of Thanks stalled

The Lok Sabha on Friday failed to take up the Motion of Thanks on President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday, as the Opposition raised noisy slogans in both Houses to demand an immediate discussion on the NEET paper leak scam.

Speaker Om Birla adjourned the Lok Sabha for the day, shortly before the Motion of Thanks was to be taken up after 12 noon, as members of the Congress and other Opposition parties walked into the well of the House and surrounded the officials’ table.

The members were supporting Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s demand for admission of an adjournment motion to have a “dedicated” discussion on the paper leak scam. The Opposition insisted on the adjournment despite the Speaker’s advice that no adjournment motion or zero hour is allowed when the President’s address is to be discussed.

The Rajya Sabha took up the discussion on the Motion of Thanks in spite of the Opposition’s slogan-shouting. In an unprecedented move, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge walked into the well of the House along with party members demanding the paper leak discussion.

Mr Kharge resumed his seat within a couple of minutes, although the Congress members continued in the well, shouting slogans that Mr Kharge be heard. Security guards came close to the officials’ table.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said never before the Leader of Opposition had walked into the well of the House. A little later, the Chairman again referred to the “ignoble conduct” of the Opposition members in the House and said it was “very painful” and “unbelievable” to see Mr Kharge, a leader with over 50 years’ parliamentary experience, walking into the well of the House.

Just as Mr Gandhi demanded the adjournment motion early in Lok Sabha, Mr Birla said the Opposition can raise all issues at length during a discussion on the Presidential address. The Opposition members immediately left their seats and stood in aisles between the members’ seats.

The Speaker called for papers to be laid to proceed with the work, but Mr Gandhi said the Opposition condemned the paper leaks. The Speaker told him “you will get all the time to discuss it.” By 11.15, there was a heavy presence of Opposition members all around the officials’ table, with security guards moving closer. The House was adjourned till 12 noon.

The Speaker again asked Mr Gandhi to control the Opposition members and let Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to speak as per the agenda on constitution of the Parliamentary committees.

Mr Birla said the whole House had responsibility to ensure its proper functioning. In a planned manner, the House was not being allowed to run. Mr Rijiju said he condemned the Congress members coming into the well of the House, ignoring conventions.

The Speaker said methods of opposition in the streets and in Parliament cannot be the same, and adjourned the House for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, Mr Sudhanshu Trivedi (BJP) moved the motion of thanks to the President for her address and referred to various achievements of the government mentioned in her address. Ms Kavita Patidar of the BJP seconded the motion. The two members spoke as the Opposition shouted slogans and stood in the well of the House.

Leader of the House and BJP president J P Nadda said the House was being held hostage by the Opposition. He said paper leaks had taken place earlier also. The Business Advisory Committee had allocated a record 21 hours for the Motion of Thanks discussion. It appeared the Congress had not given any names for the discussion.

As Ms Patidar was speaking, Ms Phulo Devi Netam of the Congress, standing in the well of the House, fell unconscious. The House was adjourned for some time and she was taken to hospital. Trinamul Congress leader Derek O’Brien and DMK leader Tiruchi Siva protested that the House was continuing despite a member falling sick in the House. The whole Opposition then staged a walk-out, while the House continued discussion on Mrs Murmu’s address.