New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was once again thrown into high-voltage drama on Tuesday as fierce opposition protests over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy led to repeated adjournments, severely disrupting parliamentary proceedings.
The Upper House, which reconvened at noon, was swiftly adjourned till 2 p.m. amid chaotic scenes triggered by members demanding discussion on police action against student protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The ruckus began shortly after official papers were laid on the table.
Leader of Opposition in the House and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge rose to highlight the alleged police excesses during Monday’s protests.
He condemned the lathi charge and use of tear gas shells on students and participants of the Cockroach Janta Party-led march to Parliament.
He said they were demanding justice over the leakage of NEET-UG medical entrance examination question papers. “Our students, who are raising their voice on paper leaks and NEET examination, were attacked with lathi charge and tear gas shelling. They are in hospitals. Their issues need to be heard,” Kharge said.
His remarks were met with loud sloganeering from opposition benches, plunging the House into complete din.
Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan made repeated appeals to maintain decorum and allow the House to function smoothly.
However, the opposition members remained unrelenting in their protest. The House was adjourned till noon, and when it reassembled, the Chairman again adjourned it till 2 p.m.
Opposition parties, led by the Congress party, are aggressively using the parliamentary platform to press the government for a thorough, independent investigation into the NEET paper leak, fix accountability at all levels, and provide immediate relief to the lakhs of affected students whose futures, as Congress alleged, hang in the balance.
While the government seeks to advance important business, the opposition appears determined to keep pressure on until concrete answers and accountability are provided. The continuous disruptions in the Rajya Sabha have brought key legislative work to a standstill.
(IANS)
