Opposition parties on Wednesday, 22 July escalated their offensive against the Centre ahead of the third day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, alleging that the government is deliberately sidestepping accountability on the NEET-UG paper leak, examination irregularities, and the police crackdown on protesters during the 'Chalo Sansad' march held on Monday, 20 July. Opposition leaders charged that repeated requests to raise these matters on the floor of the House have been denied, forcing aggrieved students and lawmakers onto the streets.

Protests Spill Onto the Streets

When demands for a parliamentary debate went unheeded, senior Opposition leaders took their protest outside. Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and several other Opposition MPs staged a demonstration near 7 Lok Kalyan Marg on Tuesday. The Opposition argued that silencing debate inside Parliament inevitably pushes public grievance onto the streets — a dynamic they say the government must reckon with.

Congress Charges Government With Avoiding Accountability

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat said the ruling dispensation has consistently refused to engage constructively. “Parliament is something we have always wanted to function. We want the government to take responsibility and allow a meaningful debate. But this government neither accepts responsibility nor engages in constructive discussion. Instead, it believes only in playing the blame game,” Bhagat said.

Bhagat further warned that democratic institutions lose relevance when critical issues go undebated. “When Parliament falls silent, or when those in power choose silence, the streets begin to speak. It is a serious matter. When the future of nearly 7.5 crore people is at stake and appears uncertain, we have consistently raised these concerns,” he added. He asserted that Rahul Gandhi has “continuously advocated for reforms” on the paper leak issue and that the protest near the Prime Minister's residence should be seen as a call for introspection, not confrontation.

Students' Anger Is Genuine, Says Congress Leader

Senior Congress leader Udit Raj defended the student-led demonstrations, arguing they were driven by real distress rather than political orchestration. “Ninety-five per cent of the students have come for their own future; they are not political people. They are not manipulators. They have come for the right cause,” he said, adding that he personally spoke to nearly 50 youths who had come independently.

“They are suffering; they have become unemployed. The paper has been leaked, and they are not getting jobs. Their anger is being expressed,” Udit Raj said. He further alleged that National Students' Union of India (NSUI) members faced lathi-charges and that permission to hold peaceful demonstrations at Jantar Mantar has been denied.

SP Calls Repeated Adjournments a 'Mockery of Democracy'

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav accused the government of engineering repeated adjournments to prevent any meaningful floor debate. “If the government was willing to hold a discussion, would there have been any disruption? The truth is, they simply do not want to debate. The moment anyone stands up to say even a single word, the House is adjourned,” he said, describing a pattern where the House is adjourned within a minute of opening — at 11:00 am, at 12:00 pm, and again at 2:00 pm — before being called off for the day.

“This has become a system where they do not want to listen to even a single sentence from anyone. This is a mockery of democracy,” Yadav added. The government has not publicly responded to the adjournment allegations as of the time of reporting.

What Comes Next

With the Monsoon Session continuing and Opposition pressure mounting, the coming days will test whether the ruling coalition agrees to a structured debate on the NEET-UG controversy. The Supreme Court is separately hearing petitions related to the paper leak, and any judicial development could further intensify parliamentary demands. Student groups have signalled that protests will continue if the government does not respond.