New Delhi: The deadlock in Parliament over the alleged NEET paper leak issue continued for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, with the government once again expressing its willingness to hold a detailed discussion in both Houses while urging the Opposition to allow normal parliamentary proceedings to resume. However, Opposition parties remained firm in their demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before participating in any debate, prolonging the impasse.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing concerns related to the alleged examination irregularities through a comprehensive discussion on the floor of the House. He informed the Lok Sabha that the government was prepared for an elaborate debate and suggested that Speaker Om Birla convene a meeting of floor leaders to decide the format, timing, duration, and procedural rules under which the discussion would take place.
Rijiju emphasized that procedural decisions regarding the debate should emerge through consensus among political parties under the guidance of the Speaker.
Despite the government’s assurance, Opposition parties continued their protests inside and outside Parliament, insisting that all other legislative business be suspended until the issue was taken up for discussion. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated his party’s demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, action against police personnel allegedly involved in the handling of recent protests, and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to students affected by the controversy.
Addressing a press conference, Gandhi accused the government of failing to safeguard the integrity of the education system and maintained that students’ concerns deserved immediate attention. He also stated that the decision on whether Parliament would resume normal functioning rested with the united Opposition.
Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal echoed similar sentiments in Parliament, stating that the paper leak had become a national issue affecting millions of students and should be given top priority. While several Opposition leaders continued demanding the minister’s resignation, reports indicated differing opinions within the Opposition regarding whether Pradhan’s resignation should remain a precondition for initiating parliamentary discussions.
According to political sources, some Opposition parties reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the Congress’s decision to stage a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence without wider consultation among alliance partners.
Outside Parliament, Congress MPs dressed in black staged demonstrations a day after several senior party leaders were detained while attempting to protest near the Prime Minister’s residence.
Meanwhile, another significant development unfolded as Opposition leaders sought to persuade environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike, which began on June 28. A delegation comprising Congress MP Vivek Tankha, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, and Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose met Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for nearly 45 minutes.
The delegation handed over a letter signed by 18 Opposition Members of Parliament requesting Wangchuk to withdraw his fast while assuring him that they would continue raising concerns over educational reforms and the future of India’s youth within Parliament. The letter stated that the nation needed Wangchuk’s guidance and leadership rather than his continued physical suffering and also pledged to seek protection for peaceful protesters from any coercive legal action.
Among the signatories to the letter were senior parliamentarians including Shashi Tharoor, Kapil Sibal, Tiruchi Siva of the DMK, and Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav. The MPs said Wangchuk’s message regarding educational reforms had resonated across the country and promised to continue advocating for students’ interests through democratic institutions.
Sources familiar with the meeting said Wangchuk remained particularly concerned about the welfare and legal safety of students participating in demonstrations. His concerns were subsequently reflected in letters addressed to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in which he sought an unequivocal assurance that no punitive or retaliatory legal action would be taken against students who had participated in peaceful protests.
Later in the day, another delegation of 14 Opposition MPs, including Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, CPI(M) MP A. A. Rahim, and Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Kumar Rai, attempted to meet Wangchuk with a separate letter signed by 51 MPs. Police stopped the delegation outside the hospital, after which the MPs staged a sit-in protest. Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, later met the delegation and accepted the letter on his behalf.
As both sides remain firm in their respective positions, attention now turns to whether consensus can be reached to facilitate a structured parliamentary discussion that addresses students’ concerns while allowing Parliament to resume its legislative agenda.
