Lok Sabha adjourned as opposition pushes for discussion on NEET, Rahul Gandhi leads charge

New Delhi, June 28: Following the paper leak controversy around the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical undergraduates and the cancellation of UGC-NET due to “lack of integrity,” the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, demanded a discussion on NEET in Parliament, adding that the discussion must happen “respectfully.”

“Yesterday, all the leaders of the opposition parties had a meeting and it was unanimous that today, we want a discussion on the NEET issue. There should be a discussion on NEET here in the House. I request the Prime Minister that this is an issue of the youth and it should be discussed properly and it should be a respectful discussion. We will do it respectfully. You should also join the discussion, you should also participate because this is a matter for the youth. A message should go from the Parliament that the Indian government and the opposition are talking about the students together,” Rahul Gandhi told ANI before entering the Parliament.

Amidst uproar from the opposition benches, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon. LoP Rahul Gandhi raised the NEET issue and demanded, along with opposition MPs, that the matter be discussed. Speaker Om Birla insisted that the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address be taken up first.

The LoP said, “We wanted to give a joint message to the students of India, on behalf of the Opposition and the Government - that we consider this an important issue. So, we thought that to respect students we will have a discussion on NEET today, a dedicated discussion...”

Meanwhile, Aam Admi Party MP Sandeep Pathak said, “What happened in NEET is very unfortunate. It has two sides to it - first, the paper leak, and second, the irregularities in marking and institutional fraud. Nabbing one individual will not be enough. NTA, Union Education Minister, and the PM are responsible for this.”