NDA protests at Parliament’s Makar Dwar, accuses Congress of ‘wasting’ valuable time of House

NDA leaders protested at Parliament’s Makar Dwar over the NEET paper leak issue, accusing Congress of avoiding debate and disrupting proceedings. BJP leaders backed fast-track courts announced by PM Modi and urged discussion on exam reforms while criticising Opposition protests

New Delhi: Countering the Opposition’s protest over exam paper leaks, NDA leaders on Thursday staged an agitation at the Makar Dwar of Parliament, accusing the Congress of “wasting valuable time” of the House by disrupting proceedings and “running away” from the discussion on NEET exam irregularities.

Raising slogans, the leaders of the ruling alliance held placards targeting the Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for “instigating” the youth.

---

Speaking to reporters within the Parliament premises, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said: “We had hoped that we would begin the discussion today on the NEET exam paper leak. Yesterday, we spoke to several Opposition leaders, including leaders of the Congress party, and everyone said that a way forward should be found. However, later, they once again started imposing conditions and making different excuses.”

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said: “Today, the MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA are standing outside Parliament House, demanding that NEET and the education system should be discussed in Parliament, which Congress is not allowing to happen. The NDA government is fully sensitive regarding this issue.”

Referring to PM Modi’s resolve that fast-track courts will be set up to serve justice in paper leak cases, he said: “The respected Prime Minister has clearly stated today that nothing is more important than student interests.” “The government is sympathetic towards the students’ issue, is not viewing them through a political lens and is committed to the welfare of the youths, while the government is attempting to spread anarchy out of the agitation and is cunningly working towards achieving power,” he added.

Moreover, Trivedi urged the Opposition to discuss the issues in Parliament and cautioned the protesting students to stay alert as some “elements are trying to use the protest for their own political benefit”.

BJP MP Sambit Patra echoed, saying, “The Congress has repeatedly created such scenes both outside and inside Parliament by wearing black clothes and displaying banners and posters, wasting the valuable time of the House. Instead of discussing the issue that should be debated, the Congress is running away from it.”

Referring to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda’s meetings with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) delegation and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, Patra said: “One thing has emerged clearly: there should be an in-depth discussion in Parliament on paper leaks, and strong laws should be enacted to prevent such incidents that have troubled students for years. But the Congress party does not want a discussion; it only wants politics.”

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, BJP MP Tarun Chugh said: “Rahul Gandhi, today the country is looking at you and towards the corrupt princes and princesses of the INDIA bloc. Why are you running away from discussion? The country wants to know about the foreign toolkit that you have become a part of, because of which you are playing with the lives of our children in India.”

Emphasising that Parliament should be allowed to function, LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Arun Bharti said: “Parliament is the biggest forum where you can question the government on every issue, debate your points, raise your voice, and pressurise the government to take action. But instead, you create disruptions on the streets, where you only become headlines, but no meaningful debate takes place, and no work is done for the people.”

Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey urged students to end their agitation and instead focus on studies. Addressing the protesters, he said: “Jantar Mantar is not the place for you. If you want to get into medical colleges, engineering colleges, or become an IAS or IPS officer, you have to go on the path of education and focus on your studies.”

He further said: “The same forces and lobbies that were involved in religious conversions, and whose activities were restricted after the FCRA was closed by Prime Minister Modi and the Home Minister, are now trying to turn this into an issue…They don’t have any faith in the Constitution.”