New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day Wednesday after the government accused the Opposition led by the Congress of bringing in new conditions to not allow a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue.
Soon after the Upper House met at 3 pm following multiple adjournments during the day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, I want to tell the Congress party through you (the Chair), that you (Congress) are giving the wrong message outside that you want a discussion. When the government is itself saying that it wants a discussion, they (Congress) are imposing conditions to not allow a discussion to take place by again and again coming up with excuses.
Rijiju said the government is ready to discuss all issues, but the Chairman will decide under which rule a debate can happen.
Both DMK’s Tiruchi Siva and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to Harivansh, who was in the Chair, to allow a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue to take place under Rule 267, citing the current situation as rarest of rare.
Amid the uproar, Harivansh adjourned the House for the day.
The House saw multiple adjournments for the third consecutive day as Opposition parties led by the Congress disrupted proceedings, protesting against Monday’s police action on students demonstrating over the alleged NEET examination paper leak.
Even though the government agreed to discuss the issue in Parliament, the Opposition wanted the discussion to be held under Rule 267, and also laid down the condition of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation before such a debate is taken up.
Citing past rulings, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said, in the last four decades, Rule 267 has been invoked in the House on the rarest of the rare occasions.
Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha enables a member, with the Chairman’s consent, to seek suspension of a listed business of the House to take up a matter of urgent public importance.
Earlier, leader of the House J P Nadda slammed the Opposition parties, saying the INDI Alliance has irresponsible behaviour; they are destroying the dignity of Parliament.
No business has been conducted in the Rajya Sabha since the beginning of the monsoon session on Monday.
