‘First quit, then debate’: As govt agrees to debate Neet paper leak, Opposition scales up resignation demand

Days after the crackdown on protesters in Delhi, Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday declared that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign before any debate on the Neet question paper leak can take place.

“If there has to be a fair discussion, the Education Minister should resign first. Until he resigns, there won't be a fair discussion here,” Kharge said in Hindi.

The remark comes as the Opposition has united behind protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and backed the demand for Pradhan’s resignation. For weeks, the CJP has been holding protests at Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in Neet, the checking of CBSE Class 12 answer sheets, and the conduct of other competitive examinations. The party has sought Pradhan’s resignation over what it describes as failures during his tenure.

More from India

Follow our live coverage of the CJP protest here

Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on a hunger strike as part of the protest, has said he would end the fast if Parliament were to sincerely discuss and debate the issues relating to Neet and the education system that the movement has raised. However, the government and the Opposition appear to be at an impasse.

Kharge further said that the Opposition has four additional demands:

The government has rejected street protests and dismissed demands for resignations, with ministers saying they are willing to debate the matter in Parliament instead.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday: “We are fully sensitive to the sentiments and concerns of the youth. Parliament is in session, and the government has also stated its willingness to have meaningful debates on every issue, but the opposition is making an inappropriate attempt to resolve issues not in Parliament but on the streets.

“In a democracy, Parliament House is the place for discussion on issues, where the opposition is free to express its views. Therefore, if the opposition is serious, it should not disrupt the smooth functioning of the ongoing Monsoon Session and should draw the country’s attention to all issues within Parliament.”

Separately, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was ready for a “detailed” discussion because “the people should know the steps taken by the government”. He accused the Opposition of taking to the streets instead of debating the issue in Parliament and warned that street protests would not yield results.