Parliament witnessed yet another day of disruption on Monday as repeated protests by Opposition members over the alleged NEET paper leak forced both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to adjourn proceedings for the day. Despite attempts by the presiding officers to conduct business, slogan shouting and protests prevented normal functioning in both Houses.
The Lok Sabha began proceedings at 11 am with obituary references to six former members who recently passed away. The House paid tributes to Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, Omwati Devi, Sudhangshu Seal, Major General Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri (Retired), K. P. Dhanapalan and Pyare Lal Sankhwar. Members also paid tribute to Father Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani played a significant role in strengthening India-Qatar relations and served as the Amir of Qatar for 18 years, laying the foundation of modern Qatar.
Protest Overshadows Proceedings
After the obituary references, the Speaker attempted to begin Question Hour, but Opposition members, including those from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, raised the issue of the alleged NEET examination paper leak. Om Birla appealed to members to maintain decorum and allow the House to function smoothly, but the protests continued, forcing the first adjournment until 12 noon.
When the House reconvened, the protests showed no signs of easing. The Lok Sabha was successively adjourned until 12.30 pm, 1 pm and 2 pm as Opposition members continued raising slogans. During one of the sittings, Presiding Officer Dilip Saikia said Parliament should be a forum for healthy debate and reminded members that people had elected them to raise important issues through discussion. However, his appeal failed to restore order.
Repeated Appeals Fail to Restore Order
When the Lok Sabha met again at 3 pm after its sixth adjournment, the disruption continued and the Chair adjourned the House for the remainder of the day. The repeated interruptions meant that scheduled legislative business could not proceed, highlighting the widening deadlock between the government and the Opposition over the NEET controversy.
The Rajya Sabha also witnessed similar scenes throughout the day. Proceedings began at 11 am with the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected members. Dr Mukeshbhai Rathwa, Mahesh Kewat, Dr Satish Poonia, Prakash Chik Baraik, Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray of the BJP, Pawan Khera of the Congress, James Sangma of the National People's Party and K. Laltluangkima of the Zoram People's Movement took oath as members of the Upper House.
Upper House Also Hit by Deadlock
The Rajya Sabha later paid tributes to former members Balbir K. Punj, Swapan Sadhan Bose, Rangasayee Ramakrishna and H. Hanumanthappa. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge attempted to raise the issue of the alleged NEET paper leak, but repeated protests disrupted proceedings. Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan adjourned the House first until 12 noon, then until 12.30 pm and again until 12.50 pm.
When the House reassembled at 2 pm, Deputy Chairman Harivansh tried to conduct business, but continued sloganeering led to further adjournments until 2.30 pm. When the Rajya Sabha met again after its fifth adjournment, protests persisted, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for the day. The repeated disruptions in both Houses underscored how the NEET issue continued to dominate Parliament, leaving little room for scheduled business to move forward.
