‘Absentee Landlordism Won’t Work’: Thakur’s Swipe at RaGa in Lok Sabha; Oppn Walks Out…

Listing out the economic achievements of the NDA government in the last 10 years, BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Monday took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha and said he was enjoying power without responsibility till he became the Leader of Opposition.

The opposition, meanwhile, demanded a separate one-day discussion on the NEET paper leak issue and staged a walkout after they sought a clear assurance from the central government on the issue. Gandhi raised the issue of irregularities in NEET soon after the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, prompting defence minister Rajnath Singh to assert that a separate discussion cannot be held till the House finishes with the Motion of Thanks on the president’s address.

Here is all you need to know about the ongoing Parliament session:

1. While congratulating Rahul Gandhi on becoming the Leader of Opposition, BJP leader Anurag Thakur said the Congress leader now has power with responsibility and “absentee landlordism will not work”. Initiating the discussion on the Motion of Thanks, he also said the Lok Sabha elections have kept those against the Constitution in the opposition benches for the third time.
2. Thakur said this is Gandhi’s “agnipariksha”. “Will he sit in Lok Sabha all day?… He is not there (even) now,” he said. Gandhi was not in the House when Thakur made the remarks and there were protests from the opposition members.
3. Gandhi, who wanted a one-day discussion on the irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024, said: “…It is an important issue. More than two crore students have been affected. Paper leaks have happened on 70 occasions. We would be happy if you allow a separate discussion on the issue.”
4. Defence minister Rajnath Singh, who is also the deputy leader of the Lok Sabha, said the House has certain rules and procedures and also on healthy tradition, which are a strength of this House. “In my decades-long tenure as a parliamentarian, never has any other issue been taken up during the motion of thanks on the president’s address. Other issues can be raised after passing the motion of thanks,” he said.
5. Seizing on his comments, Gandhi and other opposition leaders insisted that the House discuss the issue after the debate on the motion of thanks and sought a specific assurance from the government. “We can send a message from Parliament to the students that the issue of NEET is very important for us,” he said.
6. Speaker Om Birla also said there was no convention of taking up any other discussion during the debate on the motion of thanks and members can give a separate notice for the discussion on NEET. Opposition members were on their feet as the speaker called on Thakur to initiate the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address. They continued to insist on a categorical assurance from the government on having a separate discussion on NEET and staged a walkout.
7. Taking strong objection to members casting aspersions on the Chair by alleging microphones being turned off, Birla said the presiding officers do not have any switch or remote control to do so. The allegation of the Chair turning the microphone off was a matter of utmost concern, he said, adding that he wanted the House to deliberate on the issue. He added that the members of all political parties have representation on the panel of chairpersons who preside over the proceedings in the absence of the Speaker.
8. The Speaker also urged MPs to follow the prescribed format while taking oath or affirmation and not add words as it lowered the dignity of the Constitution. His statement came against the backdrop of several members raising slogans of ‘Jai Samvidhan’ and ‘Jai Hindu Rashtra’ while taking oath last week. Making a reference in the Lok Sabha, he also announced the setting up of a committee comprising representatives of major parties to delve into the issue.
9. Congress President, while taking part in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha, took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that the last 10 years of his rule was just a trailer and “picture abhi baaki hai”. He said the third term of the NDA has already seen exam paper leaks, terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, train accident, airport canopy collapse, bridge cave-ins and toll tax hike. “How the PM’s picture would be, we have been able to imagine in the last month,” he said.
10. The Congress president raised the paper leak issue and said the future of 30 lakh students has been affected. “If this keeps happening, students will stop their study,” he added. In the last seven years, there have been paper leaks 70 times, Kharge said, adding that this has affected the future of two crore students.

(With PTI inputs)