Rahul Gandhi seeks discussion on NEET in LS, opposition walks out
New Delhi (PTI): Opposition members on Monday demanded a separate one-day discussion on the NEET paper leak issue in the Lok Sabha and staged a walkout after they sought a clear assurance from the government on the issue.
Leader of Opposition Rahul 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.
"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.
Singh, 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," Singh said.
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," Gandhi said.
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.
Opposition members were on their feet as the speaker called on BJP member Anurag Thakur to initiate the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.
Opposition members continued to insist on a categorical assurance from the government on having a separate discussion on NEET and staged a walkout.
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Hathras stampede: Plea in SC seeks appointment of expert panel to probe incident
New Delhi (PTI): A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking the appointment of a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired apex court judge to probe the Hathras stampede incident which claimed 121 lives.
The plea, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, has also sought a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a status report on the July 2 incident and to initiate legal action against the authorities, officials and others for their negligent conduct.
The petition has sought a direction to the states to submit the status of medical facilities available from the block/Tehsil to the district level to deal with incidents of stampede.
It has also sought the apex court's direction to the states to issue guidelines to prevent stampede or other incidents for the safety of the public in organising any religious or other events where a large number of people gather.
A stampede at a religious congregation on Tuesday killed 121 people, most of them women, as devotees suffocated to their deaths and bodies piled atop each other in the worst such tragedy in recent years.
Over 2.5 lakh devotees had gathered in Hathras district's Phulrai village for the 'satsang' conducted by Baba Narayan Hari, who is also known as Saakar Vishwahari Bhole Baba.
According to the Office of the Relief Commissioner, while the toll has risen to 121, the number of people injured in the incident stands at 28.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has registered an FIR against the organisers, accusing them of hiding evidence and flouting conditions with 2.5 lakh people gathering for the event in which only 80,000 were permitted.
The plea filed in the apex court has sought a direction for the appointment of an expert committee to enquire into the stampede incident and also to direct the panel to suggest and frame guidelines, and safety measures to avoid such incidents.
"Such incident prima facie depicts the serious condition of responsibility lapse, negligence and unfaithful duty of care towards the public by the government authorities," it claimed.
The plea further alleged that various such incidents have taken place in India in the past wherein due to mismanagement, lapse in duty, and negligent maintenance activities, there have been cases of huge public casualties which could have been avoided.
"There are several questions which are brewing up from this horrific incident of stampede thereby questioning the duty and lapse of state government and municipal corporations," it claimed, adding that the authorities had failed in controlling the crowd which gathered for the event.
It referred to some past incidents of stampede in the country in religious festivals, ceremonies and events.
The plea has arrayed the Centre, several other states and Union Territories as party respondents.
The FIR lodged in the case alleged that the organisers hid the actual number of devotees coming to the 'satsang' while seeking permission, did not cooperate in traffic management and hid evidence after the stampede, which broke out after people gathered there stopped to collect mud from the way the baba's vehicle was passing.
