Kharge accuses RSS of capturing institutions, demands SC monitored probe.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday demanded for a discussion on NEET exam results rigging in Parliament.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha on Monday while speaking in the House demanded for a discussion on NEET.
He pointed out that the opposition wants a discussion on NEET for a day in the House and it is an important issue.
The Congress leader said, “About 70 paper leaks took place in last seven years across the country.
Rahul Gandhi said, “A message is disseminated to the country, from Parliament. We want to give a message to students that NEET issue is important for the Parliament. So, to send this message we want the Parliament to discuss this for a day.”
Even Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, who was replying to Motion of Thanks to President’s address raised the issue of NEET and demanded for a Supreme Court monitored probe.
“Not just NEET or the National Testing Agency, the entire education system must be reviewed under Supreme Court,” Kharge said.
He then said that the “BJP leaders’ names were mentioned in paper leaks, first, the Education Minister denied any leak and gave a clean chit to the NTA. When the opposition raised this issue, FIRs were filed and only after that did the Education Minister accept the paper leak”.
However, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that every institution must do its own job first.
Kharge taking a pot shot at the RSS said, “The organisation has taken over posts of vice-chancellors and professors at universities as well as at NCERT and other educational organisations.”
Chairman Dhankhar then interrupted and said that the comment will be expunged. “Is it a crime to be a member of any organisation?” Dhankhar asked Kharge.
Following the remarks of Kharge, several members of the ruling party registered their protest. “RSS is an organisation that works for the country and is internationally renowned,” Dhankhar said.
“The organisation’s ideology is dangerous for the country,” Kharge remarked again.
He also alleged that the ideology of the sangh instigated Nathuram Godse to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi.
To this Leader of House JP Nadda responded and said that Kharge’s comments are “irresponsible” and should be expunged. Dhankhar agreed to Nadda’s remarks.
Nadda also intervened earlier and accused the LoP of “casting serious aspersions” on the Chairperson.
“If the LoP is saying that the Chair should support the truth for the next 3.5 years, it automatically means he is making aspersions that he hasn’t done so in the last 1.5 years,” Nadda said. Kharge then responded to President’s joint address and said the President’s address was only filled with praise for the government, ignoring the foundational issues such as the lack of provision for the weakest sections of the society.
He said, “The President is the most important part of the Parliament, we respect the President. This year the President’s first address was in January and second in June. The first address was for elections and the second was a copy of it. There was nothing for Dalits, minority sections and the backward classes in her address. There was neither vision nor direction in the President’s address. Like the last time, it was just about full of words of appreciation for the government.” Kharge also demanded that ‘Agniveer’ scheme should be scrapped
Kharge said, “The morale of the youth has been shattered by bringing an unplanned and ‘tughlaqi’ scheme like Agniveer…I demand that Agniveer scheme should be scrapped.”
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi Kharge said, “Opposition parties talk about the common man while PM Modi does only his ‘Mann Ki Baat’. PM Modi is an expert only in giving slogans. Manipur has been burning for the last year but the PM did not visit the state.”