The first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament witnessed sharp political confrontation after Congress MP KC Venugopal accused the Centre of ignoring issues that have deeply affected students and their families. Raising concerns over the alleged NEET and CBSE examination paper leaks, Venugopal said the government has failed to address public anxiety and is unwilling to hold a meaningful discussion in Parliament.
Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader claimed that parents across the country are worried about the future of their children because of repeated controversies surrounding major examinations.
According to him, party’s immediate demand is resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He also called for a detailed debate in Parliament on the alleged irregularities in the NEET and CBSE examinations.
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Questions raised on the examination system
KC Venugopal said the issue goes beyond one examination and concerns the credibility of India’s entire examination system. He questioned how future paper leaks could be prevented if the government refuses to discuss the matter.
He argued that Parliament should examine ways to improve the examination process, stop question paper leaks, and restore public confidence in competitive and school-level examinations. He further alleged that the Education Minister is responsible for the situation but claimed the government is avoiding accountability by refusing to debate the issue.
Claims that opposition was not allowed to speak
The Congress MP also criticised the functioning of Parliament during the opening day of the session. He alleged that Opposition members were not being given an opportunity to raise concerns related to the NEET and CBSE controversies.
Venugopal questioned why discussions on issues affecting lakhs of students were being prevented. He claimed that even a few minutes were not being provided to Opposition MPs to present their concerns inside the House.
Congress also raises Ram Temple Trust donation issue
Apart from the examination controversy, Venugopal brought up allegations related to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Referring to the matter as “Chanda Chori” (donation theft), he alleged that the issue had hurt the sentiments of devotees of Lord Ram.
He claimed that since the trust was formed under the supervision of the Government of India, it should be held accountable. According to him, the government was avoiding a discussion on the matter because it was on the defensive.
Parliament sees repeated disruptions
The opening day of the Monsoon Session was marked by repeated interruptions. Soon after proceedings began, Opposition MPs raised slogans demanding discussions on the alleged NEET examination irregularities and the alleged embezzlement of donations linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya.
Despite repeated appeals from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to allow the House to function normally, the protests continued.
As a result, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until 1 pm, while the Rajya Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm.
Session began with obituary references
Before the disruptions started, Speaker Om Birla paid obituary tributes to several former public figures and dignitaries. The House remembered former Members of Parliament Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, Omwati Devi, Sudhangshu Seal, Major General Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri AVSM (Retd.), KP Dhanapalan, Pyare Lal Sankhwar, and His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Father Amir of the State of Qatar.
After the obituary references concluded, the Opposition protests began, setting the tone for a stormy opening to the Monsoon Session. The demands for discussions on the examination controversies and the Ram Temple trust allegations are expected to remain key issues as Parliament continues its proceedings.