The government on Thursday offered to discuss the students’ issue “the way the opposition wants”, implicitly giving in to the opposition’s demand for a motion for postponement but ruling out any precondition such as the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, something the latter and the protesting students continue to insist on. Track the July 24 Jantar Mantar protests here
But the opposition parties decided to continue their protests. On Thursday evening, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, called a meeting of all opposition legislators to chalk out new protest plans to highlight the students’ issue outside Parliament. On Tuesday, Gandhi led an unprecedented protest in front of the Prime Minister’s residence.
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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the House on Thursday that the government is ready to discuss the larger issue in Parliament. “We have communicated directly and through the Speaker of Lok Sabha, that the government is ready to discuss the NEET paper leak in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. We have assured the Opposition that the government is ready to hold the discussion on their preferred date and in the manner they want,” he said.
Background of the protests
The jockeying over how to discuss the issue in Parliament comes in the backdrop of a 48-day protest launched by the CJP, following the leak of the NEET paper. It gained momentum with activist Sonam Wangchuk launching an indefinite fast, blossomed into a full-fledged movement over the weekend after the government hospitalized Wangchuk, and clashed sharply with a protest march to Parliament organized on Monday.
To be sure, some protesters indulged in acts of vandalism, targeting media personnel and police, but police and Rapid Action Force personnel used lathes, tear gas and electric batons to control the crowd. A number of policemen, RAF personnel and students were injured.
Read also | Deciphering police powers, demonstrators’ rights, and the law on the use of force
Controversy over the postponement decision
Earlier on Thursday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the contours of the debate were open for discussion. “…The House is ready to discuss each issue. Please come after the Question Hour. We will consult all parties and talk to the government regarding the specific rule under which they wish to hold the discussion. The government is also ready for the discussion; therefore, please go ahead with the discussion,” he said before adjourning the session.
The government’s willingness to discuss the issue, and its openness on the terms of discussion, assume importance as Opposition MPs like Manish Tiwari or Nasir Hussain filed notices on adjournment motions and Congress leader in the Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh, insisted on the same on Monday.
The postponement motion aims to discuss a pressing national issue by postponing or postponing the scheduled day’s agenda, including Question Hour and Zero Hour. Discussions under this proposal are followed by a division or vote in the House of Representatives. If the opposition wins the vote, this will be considered a major political victory for it. The last time the postponement motion was mooted was in 2015 over former Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi’s escape from India.
The government’s offer also assumes significance as Harivansh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, rejected opposition-sponsored adjournment motions on the grounds that only the rarest of rare issues can be discussed under the adjournment rule.
The opposition adheres to the demand for Pradhan’s resignation
The government’s thrust, as conveyed through back channels, was put on the table at the Opposition’s strategy meeting on Thursday morning, HT has learnt. But everyone, including Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, agreed to stick to their demand for Pradhan’s resignation as they did not want to “lose momentum”.
When asked about the government’s proposal, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said: “In all these years, they (the government) have never agreed to our demand of moving a motion for adjournment… We want Pradhan to go. The government is trying to divert attention from the students’ issue and ‘Ram Mandir Chanda Churi’ (theft of donations).”
He blamed the government for evading discussions on the students’ issue. “Prime Minister Modi’s statement today is inflammatory… We want to discuss this matter in the House, but the government is evading the discussion in the House,” Karji said.
Kharge later added: “If they had been ready for the discussion, it would have started on the first day that we demanded… Later, you accused the students… We are members of Parliament, but people from the ruling party itself closed the door today… Why has he (the Prime Minister) remained silent until now? If there is anyone responsible for creating this situation today, it is the Prime Minister. He has openly asked his representatives to confront the students’ agitation.”
“The government has indicated that it may be open to discussing students’ issues under the adjournment motion in both the Houses. But all the opposition parties have decided not to accept it,” Trinamool Congress MP Sujata Rai told HT.
“The government’s proposal to discuss the matter the way the opposition wants is an improvement over their previous position. But removing Pradhan remains our precondition,” said John Brittas of CPIM.
“The government may be open to postponement suggestions, but we have to continue protesting,” RSP leader MK Premachandran said.
Rahul Gandhi is planning new protests
At the Opposition’s strategy meeting on Thursday morning, Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition cannot send a message that “we are having a discussion to let Pradhan off the hook. We cannot lose momentum.” He also suggested that the opposition should take to the streets and not limit its protests to Parliament. Gandhi held a meeting of all opposition representatives and looked for ideas for new protests.
Responding to Modi’s promise of fast track courts, Gandhi alleged that it was Modi who had harmed the future of Indian youth the most. “You allowed and encouraged the complete takeover and destruction of our education system and you protected everyone responsible for it,” he said.
Gandhi reiterated the demands he had made on Wednesday: Pradhan’s resignation; An apology from the Prime Minister to the students; Action will be taken against the law enforcement officials who assaulted the students on Monday.
Congress Communications Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “The Prime Minister does not have the courage to stand in Parliament, speak and participate in a serious debate as all his predecessors did when the occasion required it.”
