Parliament LIVE: No special status for Bihar; Cong, govt spar over NEET
Responding to Opposition barbs, education minister says the government is not hiding anything and the “only one” case of malpractice is being probed by CBI
The Budget Session of the Parliament took off on a stormy note on Monday (July 22) with the ruling BJP and the Opposition parties sparring over the alleged anomalies in NEET exam.
Leading the offensive, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said, “The issue is that there are millions of students in the country who are extremely concerned about what is going on and who are convinced that the Indian examination system is a fraud. Millions of people believe that if you are rich and you have money, you can buy the Indian examination system and this is the same feeling that the Opposition has.”
Hitting out at Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Rahul said, “It is obvious to the whole country that there is a very serious problem in our examination system, not just in NEET but in all the major examinations. The minister (Dharmendra Pradhan) has blamed everybody except himself. I don't even think he understands the fundamentals of what is going on here.”
On the other hand, Pradhan informed the Lok Sabha that there is “no evidence of paper leaks in last seven years”.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore asked if the education minister would resign in light of the “severe breach” in the examination process taking responsibility of the irregularities in conduct of NEET exams.
Pradhan flays Rahul
Pradhan hit back, saying, “I am here (post of education minister) at the mercy of my leader, the Prime Minister, whenever (question of) accountability comes, my government is answerable to that.” He said the government is not hiding anything and so far and that “only one case” of malpractice has come to light in Bihar and the CBI is investigating it.
Pradhan condemned Rahul and other Opposition leaders for calling the current exam system “rubbish”. He accused the Congress of withdrawing education reform bills in 2010 “under pressure from lobby of private colleges” and due to corruption.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla jumped to the government's defence. Birla said exam paper leaks have been happening across the country, including the states that are ruled by Opposition parties. The Speaker said it is not proper to raise questions on the examination system.
DMK MP K Veeraswamy demanded scrapping of NEET. Responding to it, Pradhan said NEET was initiated in 2010 by the then government and subsequently twice the issue of NEET had come up before the SC and the apex court upheld the need for a single exam on both occasions. He said the protest against NEET today is for “purely political reasons”.
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Live Updates
- 22 July 2024 6:49 PM IST
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— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2024 - 22 July 2024 5:43 PM IST
Supriya Sule asks Centre to discontinue Hindi voiceovers of Parliament speeches
Lok Sabha MP and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Monday demanded that the Central government discontinue Hindi voiceovers for speeches made by members of the Parliament in English or regional languages broadcast on its television channel.
In a post on X, Sule said that Sansad TV started the "alarming" practice of giving voiceovers in Hindi to speeches made by MPs in English or regional languages in the first session of this Lok Sabha, and it has continued doing so in the Budget Session.
"This is a form of censorship. It denies crores of non-Hindi-speaking Indians the right to hear their elected representatives' original words in their own languages. The government must immediately discontinue this discriminatory and anti-federal move," she wrote.
- 22 July 2024 5:36 PM IST
Of 913 assurances by MPs in Parliament, 583 implemented, 330 pending: Govt in RS
The total number of assurances given by Ministers in Parliament stood at 913 during the last three calendar years, of which 583 have been implemented and 330 are pending, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Replying to supplementary questions in the Upper House, Murugan said some of the assurances have not been implemented because of the need for change in policies and amendments.
"The total assurances given were 913 in the last three years. The total implemented assurances in the last three years have been 583. Pending is 330," he said.
The minister said assurances are required to be fulfilled within a period of three months from the date of assurance. However, some of the assurances could not be implemented on time and extensions were sought from the assurance committee.
- 22 July 2024 5:34 PM IST
20 hours earmarked for discussion on budget in LS
The Lok Sabha's business advisory committee (BAC) on Monday decided to discuss issues related to the ministries of railways, education, health, MSME, and food processing besides the Union budget, which will be presented on Tuesday.
A total of 20 hours has been allocated for the debate on the budget.
Sources said the BAC, which includes representatives from different parties, took the decision on the session's agenda, with some opposition members seeking a discussion on a host of different issues.
They, though, added that the discussion on demands for grants to the five ministries will allow members to speak on a host of matters related to them.
- 22 July 2024 4:53 PM IST
AAP Sanjay Singh on SC decision on Kanwar Yatra nameplates
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— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2024 - 22 July 2024 4:50 PM IST
Amend provisions for special status, you are in power: Bihar Congress chief
“Ever since Nitish Kumar became the chief minister, he has been raising the issue of Special Status for Bihar. If there is no such provision, amend the provisions. You are in power, why are you misleading the people? Government of India should take this decision at the earliest, in the interest of Bihar,” says Bihar Congress chief and MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh.
#WATCH | On Government's response on Special Category Status, Bihar Congress chief and MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh says, "...Ever since Nitish Kumar became the CM, he has been raising the issue of Special Status for Bihar. If there is no such provision, amend the provisions. You are… pic.twitter.com/Xe2hecbiRp
— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2024
