The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s deadlock continued on Monday, with the latter walking out of the Lok Sabha over its demand for a discussion on the NEET row.

The Opposition demanded a separate one-day discussion on the NEET paper leak row in the Lower House of the Parliament. The government wanted to continue the motion of thanks on the President’s address to the Parliament last week.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanded from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla a discussion on the row over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024, claiming over two crore students had been affected by paper leaks.

“We wanted a one-day discussion on NEET. 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,” Gandhi said.

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Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s demand, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said a discussion can’t be allowed till the House finishes the motion of thanks.

Singh, who is deputy leader of the Lok Sabha, claimed in the history of the Lok Sabha, no issue has been taken up during the motion of thanks.

“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,” Singh said.

Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders later demanded an assurance from the government that the NEET issue would be discussed after the debate on the motion of thanks.

“We can send a message from Parliament to the students that the issue of NEET is very important for us,” Gandhi added.

Speaker Om Birla 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.

As soon as Speaker Om Birla asked BJP MP Anurag Thakur to start the discussion on the motion of thanks, the Opposition walked out demanding a categorical assurance from the government.

The NEET-UG medical entrance exam came under the scanner after 67 aspirants scored full marks in one of the toughest exams in the country. The law enforcement authorities in Bihar arrested several people for allegedly leaking the NEET question paper.

The Central Bureau of Investigation is probing the alleged paper leak and other irregularities in the conduct of the exam.

With inputs from PTI