The first day of Parliament's Monsoon Session witnessed repeated adjournments in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as Opposition parties staged noisy protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, the police crackdown on student protesters, and the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The disruptions prevented both Houses from conducting significant legislative business.
In the Lok Sabha, proceedings were interrupted almost immediately after Question Hour began, with Opposition MPs raising slogans and displaying placards demanding an urgent discussion on the paper leak issue. Speaker Om Birla repeatedly appealed to members to maintain order and return to their seats, but the protests continued, leading to multiple adjournments before the House was finally adjourned for the day. During the brief proceedings, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced a Bill to replace an ordinance increasing the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38.
The Rajya Sabha witnessed similar scenes as Opposition members demanded a discussion on the examination paper leak and student-related issues. Persistent sloganeering forced the Chair to adjourn the House several times, resulting in a complete washout of the day's business.
Outside Parliament, Opposition leaders criticised the government, accusing it of ignoring students' concerns and failing to ensure the integrity of competitive examinations. Several parties demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged paper leak controversy and condemned the police action against student protesters in Delhi.
Ahead of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appealed for constructive discussions and smooth functioning of Parliament. However, the Opposition maintained that issues affecting students and examination integrity deserved immediate attention, setting the stage for a confrontation with the government.
With both sides refusing to back down, the Monsoon Session has begun on a confrontational note. Opposition parties have indicated that they will continue pressing for debates on the paper leak issue, police action against protesters and other matters, raising the possibility of further disruptions in the coming days.
