By Dr. Gyan Pathak
After the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was removed by force from the sit-in protest site near the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence on July 21, the opposition has further hardened their stance on examination irregularities and “brutality unleashed on students”. Earlier, they have been demanding discussion in the Parliament, but on Wednesday they disrupted the proceedings in both the Houses of Parliament demanding resignation of Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan before any discussion.
Students protesting the examination irregularities and paper leaks under the Cockroach Janata Party banner were teargassed and canned during their March to Parliament on July 20, in which over 60 students were injured and one is in critical condition in Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in New Delhi. The opposition rocked the parliament on that day demanding discussion on examination irregularities and paper leaks and also on crackdown on students, but the government was not ready for that. It resulted into total washout of the first two days of Monsoon Session because both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha had to be repeatedly adjourned amidst sloganeering and protests by the opposition.
Opposition also intensified their protests in support of the students outside the parliament. Leaders of CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party, AAP, TMC, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and several other political parties visited the CJP protest sites and Jantar Mantar on July 21, while Congress led by LoP Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in protest outside Modi’s house in the afternoon. Later, Police removed him by force, picked him up by holding his arms and legs and put in a bus and took him away amidst chaotic scenes at the protest sites where thousands of protestors were assembled. His sister Priyanka was also detained, and police had confirmed that both were briefly detained and released. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav was also detained along with Rahul Gandhi. Other opposition leaders could not participate in the sit-in protest because the were not informed about it in time.
Rahul Gandhi had accused the Prime Minister of “destroying the future of India’s youth”. The opposition has claimed that as many as 152 paper leaks in competitive examinations in the last 12 year during Modi rule. Gandhi had said earlier, “The government doesn’t want to take any accountability, nor does it want to have a debate on it in parliament.”
Forceful removal of Rahul Gandhi has hardened the opposition stance on July 22 in the parliament. Though Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and J P Nadda said that government is ready for discussion and will decide its mode and time after consulting various political parties, the Opposition was not ready for that. They put a new demand that Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan should firs resign before discussion could start.
CJP protestors have also hardened their stance against Pradhan, because he had dismissed them as “b-team of terrorists”, though he has now taken more conciliatory tone posting in social media, on July 20, “We own them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering.” CJP has continued their protest at Jantar Mantar despite crackdown during their March to Parliament. Sonam Wangchuk is still on hunger strike in hospital, who was forcefully shifted from the protest site on July 18 on his 21st day of hunger strike. Protest and Jantar Mantar had begun on June 6. Government has resorted force to suppress the movement so far, avoiding talks with the protestors, which is reflected in words in JP Nadda’s statement on July 20 that “on request of the protestors” he talked with them. Nevertheless, no progress has been reported yet.
On Wednesday, when the parliament proceeding commenced, within minutes Lok Sabha had to be adjourned because loud protests by the opposition. In similar situations, Rajya Sabha was also adjourned. When both the Houses resumed at 12 PM, they had to be adjourned again till 2PM. The opposition raised the issues of police crackdown and baton charge on students. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav asked in Lok Sabha why can’t Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement on the students issue in the Parliament.
Both the Houses resumed after 2PM, but opposition continued their protests. LoP in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign for a fair discussion to take place in the Parliament. Amidst protest, Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 3 PM, and resumed only to be adjourned for the day Lok Sabha proceedings were again disrupted, and it was to be adjourned for the day.
Later, Union Minister of Defence Rajnath Shing wrote in social media that the opposition parties were trying to resolve problems on the streets and not in Parliament, adding that the government is fully sensitive to the concerns of the youth.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Congress is shifting goal post. He said that Congress initially wanted discussion but now they are adding new conditions for the debate.
Congress MPs had turned up in Parliament on July 22 dressed in black and protested outside its gates. They were joined with other MPs from the opposition. They demanded resignations of both Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister of Home Amit Shah.
On July 21, Rahul Gandhi had placed five demands before the government – resignations of Education and Home Ministers, police accountability on crackdown on students, public apology from PM Narendra Modi, full debate in the Parliament, and systematic reform of education and examination system. (IPA Service)
