NEET 2024 row in Lok Sabha: Rahul Gandhi’s mic ‘switched off’; govt says ready for discussion but...

The Opposition INDIA bloc on Friday protested in both houses of the Parliament, raising concerns over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Examination paper leak. 

Some Congress leaders alleged that the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi's microphone was turned off when he raised the NEET issue and demanded that the matter be discussed.

In response, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan appealed to opposition MPs not to create confusion among students. He emphasized that while the government is prepared for discussions, it is important to maintain parliamentary tradition and decorum.

"...We are not going to spare anyone. Those in charge of NTA have been removed, and senior officials have been given the responsibility. All this is proof of the government's commitment... I want to appeal to the opposition that they should not confuse the students...," Pradhan said.

Speaker Om Birla insisted that the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to President's Address be taken up first. However, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till Monday, July 1, without having a debate on the matter.

Opposition says Rahul Gandhi's mic was switched off

Some Congress leaders alleged that the mic of Rahul Gandhi was switched off while he was speaking in Parliament on Friday. ""Rahul Gandhi raised the NEET issue. Who switched off his mic?... It is BJP's plan to have no discussion on NEET, NTA's failure as an institution," said Congress MP Manickam Tagore.

Another Congress parliamentarian, Deepender Singh Hooda, said, "The paper was leaked in the NEET exam, and the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is running away from responsibility. We discussed this, and when it was raised in the House, the microphone was switched off."

"If the microphone of the Leader of the Opposition is switched off, then there will be anger among other opposition MPs, and the same happened in the House... We demand that this issue be discussed," he added.

Congress MP Manish Tewari said it was "unfortunate" that no discussion could be held over the NEET issue. "There are two germane issues. The first is NEET, where lakhs of students were impacted as a result of the paper leak, and the second is those criminal laws that are to be implemented on July 1, 2024," he said.

Tiwari added, “So, an adjournment motion notice had been given on NEET by the INDIA Alliance partners. I had specifically given notice about the criminal laws that their implementation must be stopped. Unfortunately, no discussion happened.”

Govt 'ready for discussion but...'

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government is ready for every kind of discussion, "but everything should happen within tradition and decorum".

"When the President herself spoke about the exam in her speech yesterday, it shows the government's intention that we are ready to face any issue...," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju assured that the government was ready for discussion, but Congress halted the proceedings, which is condemnable.

"On behalf of the government, we have made it clear that we will give detailed information on whatever issue is raised. We assure the members once again that the government is always ready for discussion," he said.

"But by halting the proceedings of the House, the tendency adopted by the Congress – not letting the House function –  is not right...I condemn this. I appeal that those should not happen again," Kiren Rijiju was quoted by ANI.