DMK members walk out of RS over NEET issue

The Rajya Sabha witnessed noisy scenes and a walkout by DMK and Congress members on Friday over the Tamil Nadu Governor’s decision to return the NEET exemption bill. DMK members wanted to raise the issue during the Zero Hour, but Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not agree, and asked them to raise the matter during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. DMK members, who later trooped in the Well of the House, were supported by Congress members. Soon after the laying of listed papers, DMK members tried to raise the issue, but Naidu did not permit it. A notice under Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha by an opposition member to take up the matter was not accepted by the Chairman.

DMK members kept insisting on raising the issue even as some members were speaking on their Zero Hour matters. Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has returned to the state government an Assembly bill seeking exemption to the state from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge too wanted to speak on the issue as DMK members were insisting on raising the issue. As the Chairman did not allow them to raise the issue, DMK and Congress members staged a walkout from the House. Later making an observation, Naidu said people were feeling happy that the Rajya Sabha was functioning without disruption and members are having their say. The Chairman said 14 Zero Hour mentions were taken up in 30 minutes, and if “others had cooperated” the remaining three too would have been taken up.