Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday, 23 July appealed to Opposition parties to participate in a parliamentary debate on the NEET paper leak without attaching preconditions, asserting that the government is fully prepared to discuss the issue in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on any date and for any duration the Opposition chooses. The appeal came as the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm after Opposition members disrupted proceedings with persistent sloganeering, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Government's Offer on the Table

Addressing the House, Rijiju said the government had made repeated outreach efforts, including personal conversations with Congress leaders and other Opposition members. He stated that the government had also held consultations with the Lok Sabha Speaker to facilitate the discussion.

'We have invited them to meet us personally and share their views and suggestions. We have also discussed with the Lok Sabha Speaker that the government is ready to discuss the NEET paper leak issue in the House and the Rajya Sabha in any manner the Opposition wishes, on any date they wish, and for as much time as they require. We have given this assurance,' Rijiju said.

Rijiju Accuses Opposition of Avoiding Debate

The minister went further, accusing the Opposition of using conditions as a shield to sidestep the debate altogether. His remarks were pointed and direct.

'We would like to request the Opposition with folded hands to please decide when to begin the discussion. We are ready, but you are presenting conditions and making excuses. Don't make excuses; because if you impose conditions and make excuses, everyone understands that you want to avoid the discussion,' Rijiju said.

He urged all parties to treat the matter as a national concern rather than a partisan flashpoint, calling for an objective discussion covering paper leaks across all states and all examinations.

Chair Appeals for Decorum

Dilip Saikia, who was presiding over the session, appealed to members to maintain decorum and allow the debate to proceed at the 'appropriate time without pre-conditions.' Despite multiple appeals from the Chair, Opposition MPs continued raising slogans, preventing the House from taking up its scheduled business.

House Adjourned Amid Disruptions

With disruptions continuing unabated, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Thursday. This is not an isolated incident — Parliament has witnessed repeated washouts this session as the NEET paper leak controversy has become a focal point of Opposition strategy. The standoff reflects a broader pattern where both sides accuse each other of blocking accountability: the government insisting it is ready to debate, the Opposition arguing that a discussion without ministerial accountability is meaningless.

Whether the two sides can agree on terms before the session concludes will determine if Parliament delivers any legislative or deliberative outcome on one of the year's most politically charged education controversies.