Parliament Faces Disruption Over NEET Paper Leak Protests

Parliament has been disrupted for four consecutive days due to ongoing protests from the opposition regarding the NEET paper leak and demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Despite Speaker Om Birla's appeals for order and discussions, opposition members have continued to stage protests, leading to multiple adjournments in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The situation escalated with accusations exchanged between government and opposition leaders, highlighting the tensions surrounding the issue. As the protests persist, closed-door meetings between key political figures are taking place, indicating that the turmoil in Parliament may continue.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 23, 2026, 18:00 IST

Ongoing Protests Disrupt Parliamentary Proceedings

Opposition leaders stage a protest over the NEET paper leak issue, amid the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Thursday. (Photo:PTI)

New Delhi, Jul 23: For the fourth consecutive day, the proceedings in Parliament were halted due to persistent protests from the opposition regarding the NEET paper leak and calls for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned without any business being conducted.

As the Lok Sabha convened at 11 am, opposition members quickly moved to the Well of the House to voice their concerns over the NEET paper leak and police actions against student demonstrators.

Speaker Om Birla urged the members to allow the Question Hour to proceed, emphasizing its significance in the day's agenda. He assured that the government was prepared to discuss all issues raised by the opposition following the Question Hour.

Birla stated, "The Question Hour is crucial. After it, the House is ready to discuss any matter. I will communicate with the government, which is also open to discussions. I encourage all members to engage in the dialogue after the Question Hour." However, the opposition disregarded his appeal and continued their protests.

Due to the ongoing disruptions, Birla adjourned the session until 12 noon, just three minutes after the House reconvened.

Upon resuming, the protests persisted, prompting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to accuse the opposition of imposing preconditions and avoiding a debate on the paper leak matter. He indicated that the government wished to present its perspective during the proposed discussion.

Rijiju added that the opposition could determine the timing and length of the discussions in both Houses.

As chaos continued, the session was adjourned until 2 pm. When the House reconvened, opposition protests resumed.

Chairman Dilip Saikia urged the protesting members to uphold the decorum of the House, stating that disrupting proceedings was inappropriate. With protests still ongoing, the House was adjourned for the day.

Similar scenes unfolded in the Rajya Sabha, where the opposition maintained its demand for Pradhan's resignation before any discussions on the paper leak could commence.

Rijiju reiterated that the government was ready to discuss the NEET issue that very day and urged the opposition not to impose conditions for the debate.

However, Rajya Sabha opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge insisted that Pradhan must resign first before any discussions could take place.

As both sides continued to shout slogans, Chairman CP Radhakrishnan adjourned the House until 12 noon. When it reconvened, Kharge demanded a statement from the government regarding Pradhan's resignation.

In response, Leader of the House JP Nadda criticized the opposition's conduct as irresponsible, stating, "They neither want any discussion nor allow the House to function. Initially, they requested a discussion on the paper leak, and the government agreed to discuss NEET and other issues." The Chairman then adjourned the House until 2 pm.

When the House met again, opposition MPs, including Kharge, stood up to reiterate their demand for Pradhan's resignation.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh remarked, "Today marks the fourth day; we should at least debate the bill... Let the House function..." As opposition MPs remained on their feet, he stated, "You are preventing the House from functioning," and adjourned the session until 3 pm.

Upon the Upper House's reassembly at 3 pm, Kharge was permitted to speak. He began reciting poetic remarks from a prepared statement, asserting that the opposition would confront any challenge in the nation's interest.

Harivansh, who was presiding, did not allow Kharge to continue, explaining that he had only permitted him to speak to break the deadlock and initiate discussions on the NEET paper leak issue. As protests continued, the House was adjourned for the day.

Closed-Door Meetings Amidst Protests

Outside the Lok Sabha, both opposition and ruling party MPs engaged in protests and counter-protests, indicating that the unrest may persist. During this turmoil, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav met with Speaker Om Birla. TMC leaders Saugata Roy and Mahua Moitra were also present at the meeting.

During the Question Hour, Speaker Birla had invited opposition leaders to discuss the timing and duration of the NEET paper leak discussions. When the House was adjourned for the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also had a private meeting with Birla, but no official details were released regarding the discussions held in these separate meetings.