Stormy Parliament session: NDA prepares action plan as INDIA bloc looks to corner Centre on NEET, inflation & Agnipath

NEW DELHI: The second week of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which is set to begin from Monday, is likely to witness heated debates and fiery exchanges between the BJP-led NDA government and opposition bloc INDIA on issues ranging from the NEET-NET paper leaks row to Agnipath scheme, inflation, and unemployment.
The opposition, led by the Congress, is pressing for a dedicated discussion on the paper leaks controversy, but the government seems to want to focus the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address first.
BJP looking to set agenda
While in the Lok Sabha, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has accused the Congress of wanting to “run away” from a discussion on NEET and asserted the government is ready for any type of discussion; Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has said he was “constrained” to not accept the opposition’s notices for a discussion under Rule 267 on NEET, as the President’s address debate was the priority.
The BJP will be initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with Anurag Thakur and Sudhanshu Trivedi as the first speakers respectively. In Lok Sabha, the motion will be seconded by first-time MP Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.The Lok Sabha has allocated 16 hours for the debate on the Motion of Thanks, which will conclude with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reply on Tuesday.
In the Rajya Sabha, 21 hours have been allotted for the debate, with the PM likely to reply on Wednesday. This allows the NDA to set the agenda in Parliament initially in the week.
BJP’s counterattack plan
Several media reports citing sources have also suggested that the BJP has compiled an action-taken list against those responsible for NEET anomalies and the government’s commitment to CBI investigation of the matter. Many reports also indicate that the BJP plans to “expose the Opposition” on issues like corruption and the recent hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu to counter the NEET allegations.
It is expected that the BJP-led NDA will target the DMK government over the Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy and the TMC over post-poll violence in West Bengal, to hold the opposition accountable for their “selective outrage”.
What INDIA bloc is demanding
The opposition INDIA bloc has been vocal in its demand for a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue, with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge leading the charge.
However, the government has so far refused to provide a separate discussion on this, asking the opposition to raise it during the debate on the Motion of Thanks. The Congress has tried to put pressure on the government by holding nationwide protests demanding justice for students affected by the NEET irregularities. It has also demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the alleged malpractices, paper leaks, inflated marks, and other irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam.
The INDIA bloc has also calling for the removal of the National Testing Agency (NTA) chairman, who the Congress alleges is responsible for the NEET irregularities.The opposition is also likely to corner the government on rising prices and the state of the economy….TOI desk