Return of Operation Pull-Plug: Rahul Gandhi debuts with NEET but mic switched off

The presiding officers of both Houses turned down the INDIA bloc’s demand, rejecting notices for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha and notices moved under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha

Rahul Gandhi speaks in the Lok Sabha on Friday.: PTI picture.

TT Bureau, New Delhi, 29.06.24 :  Rahul Gandhi made his debut intervention in the Lok Sabha as leader of the Opposition on Friday, and his Rajya Sabha counterpart Mallikarjun Kharge entered the Well in a rare act by someone in his position.

Both had a single agenda — to persuade the government and the presiding officers to agree to an immediate discussion on the irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance test and the alleged paper leaks affecting several national-level exams.

The presiding officers of both Houses turned down the INDIA bloc’s demand, rejecting notices for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha and notices moved under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the members could have raised the NEET controversy in their interventions on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.

While the Lok Sabha adjourned for the day early, the Rajya Sabha functioned through the day after the Opposition walked out in protest at the rejection of their notices. The BJD joined the protests and the walkout.

“Sir, Hindustan ke jo students hain, unko hum Opposition aur sarkar ke taraf se joint message dena chahte theh ki hum iss mudde ko zaruri maante hain aur isliye humne socha tha ki aaj students ki respect karne ke liye hum NEET par discussion karen, dedicated discussion karen (Sir, we wanted to send out a joint message from the Opposition and the government that we consider this issue urgent and, so, thought that to show respect to the students we should hold a discussion on the NEET, a dedicated discussion),” Rahul said when allowed briefly to speak after the Lok Sabha assembled in the morning.

Rahul had barely managed to speak a few words to elaborate on his point when his mic was switched off. The Speaker had already told the Opposition that adjournment motions and Zero Hour cannot be considered during the address to Parliament by the President.

“Ab baat yeh hai ki, do forces hain (Now, the issue is that there are two forces)…” were Rahul’s last audible words.

“The LoP (leader of the Opposition) was not even allowed to speak for one minute. In between his mic was switched off,” Congress member K.C. Venugopal told reporters outside Parliament.

Rahul, who had worn kurta-pyjamas on his first day as LoP on Wednesday, was back in his trademark casual pants and white T-shirt.

Before the session, he told reporters the NEET was the most important issue and should be taken up for discussion before anything else.

“The youth are worried and they do not know what is going to happen. A message and assurance should go to the youth from Parliament that India’s government and the Opposition are together in raising the concerns of students,” he said.

“I would urge the PM that there should be a good and respectful discussion on the issue.”

Inside the House, after Rahul was stopped from speaking, Opposition members rushed into the Well and chanted slogans, prompting an adjournment till noon.

Protests broke out again when the House reassembled. Birla urged the Opposition to wait saying papers were being laid in the House for the formation of committees.

“Sir, the students who are committing suicide are not aware (of the formality of papers being laid). They want justice,” Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi responded.

As parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju laid the papers, the Opposition members rushed into the Well seeking an immediate discussion on the NEET and paper leaks.

Birla accused the Opposition of stalling the proceedings in a “deliberate manner”. Rijiju said there had been no tradition of discussing anything other than the motion of thanks after the President’s address.

Sparks flew in the Rajya Sabha after Kharge entered the Well. An upset Chairman called it a “tainted day in the history of Indian Parliament”.

In between, Congress MP Phulo Netam Devi fainted and had to be rushed to hospital.

Kharge told reporters outside he had entered the Well to draw the attention of the Chairman, “who had turned his face away from the Opposition benches”.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh contested Dhankar’s contention that never before had an LoP entered the Well.

“Memories are short especially when old rivals become new partners. On Aug 5 2019, the then Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad sat on the steps leading to the Chairman’s presiding seat - which is very much part of the Well,” he posted on X.

“This was when the Bills to abolish Article 370 and downgrade the status of J&K from a full-fledged state to a UT were being introduced.”