Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The government on Tuesday signalled its readiness to hold a detailed discussion in Parliament on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test paper leak controversy, even as the political standoff between the ruling establishment and the opposition Congress intensified in the national capital.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday evening, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said the Centre had, in principle, agreed to the Congress’s long standing demand for a Parliamentary discussion on the NEET issue. However, he accused Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of shifting ground from his original demand despite the government’s assurance, calling the move unfortunate for a leader of his stature.
Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other party leaders, staged a sit in protest near Lok Kalyan Marg, demanding an immediate Parliamentary debate on the NEET paper leak scandal that has triggered nationwide outrage among students and their families. The demonstration drew senior Congress functionaries and cadre from across Delhi, who raised slogans against alleged administrative lapses in the conduct of the medical entrance examination.
In a bid to defuse the standoff, Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan visited the protest site and held talks with the Congress delegation. During the exchange, Rahul Gandhi reportedly told the two officials that the party would call off its agitation immediately if the government committed to a Parliamentary discussion on the matter.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Dr Singh said the government had accepted the demand, but when this position was conveyed to the Congress leadership, Gandhi backtracked and introduced additional conditions, a move the minister described as inconsistent with his earlier stance.
The Minister further noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier in the day made it unequivocally clear that stringent action would be taken against those found responsible for the NEET paper leak, and that the investigation was progressing with several individuals already under scrutiny.
The NEET paper leak case has emerged as one of the most contentious issues of the ongoing Parliament session, with opposition parties accusing the government of shielding those responsible while the treasury benches maintain that due process is being followed. Tuesday’s exchange at the protest site indicated that both sides remain willing to negotiate terms for a formal debate, even as mutual distrust continues to colour the standoff over one of India’s most keenly watched examinations.
