Union Minister Jitendra Singh has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of changing his demands regarding a parliamentary discussion on the NEET examination controversy. Singh stated that the government had initially agreed to Gandhi's request for a debate, only for the Leader of the Opposition to subsequently demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The accusation came after Singh and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan met with Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, who were staging a sit-in protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence. Singh stated that he and Mohan were deputed by the government to engage with the senior delegation.
Government Agrees to NEET Discussion
According to Singh, during their initial talks, Rahul Gandhi pledged to end the protest if the government committed to discussing all issues related to NEET and the ongoing student movement in Parliament. Singh conveyed this demand to the government's top leadership, which swiftly agreed to the proposal.
“The government was ready to discuss in Parliament all issues related to NEET and the associated movement,” Singh reiterated in his statement.
Pradhan's Resignation Becomes New Demand
However, Singh alleged that after being informed of the government's acceptance, Gandhi altered his position. “When this information was conveyed to Shri Rahul Gandhi, he said that he would not agree to this alone but also sought assurance for the resignation of the Union Education Minister,” Singh claimed.
Singh quoted Gandhi as saying, “Now I have two demands: discussion in Parliament and the resignation of the Union Education Minister.” The Union Minister further noted that when Gandhi was reminded that his initial demand was solely for a parliamentary discussion, he responded that his demands had changed, asserting it was his prerogative.
Democracy and Parliamentary Procedure
Jitendra Singh criticized Gandhi's conduct, stating, “For a senior leader like Shri Rahul Gandhi and the Leader of the Opposition to go back on his word is unfortunate and contrary to every norm of democracy.” He also pointed out that despite calling for a debate, the Congress Party had not submitted any formal notice for a discussion on the matter as per parliamentary rules.
The minister concluded by emphasizing the government's continued readiness for a parliamentary debate on the NEET issue, while also questioning the democratic principles demonstrated by Gandhi's actions.