Demands PM’s statement, wants exam deferred
The UPSC examination issue rocked the Rajya Sabha again on Tuesday with an agitated Opposition demanding statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a discussion on it besides setting up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to look into the matter. The Opposition also asked the Government to postpone CSAT scheduled for August 24.
The entire Opposition did not allow the Question Hour to function as members sought an immediate debate on the ongoing examination row. The proceedings were adjourned for half an hour when some AIADMK members came into the Well shouting slogans. Several other MPs belonging to Congress and TMC also trooped into the aisles protesting against the Government’s decision.
The lok Sabha also saw a brief adjournment of 15 minutes during Zero Hour when Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janta Dal members entered the well creating noisy scenes and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked them to give notice for their demand for a discussion.
However, the main action was in the Upper House with the Opposition making its intentions clear as soon as the proceedings commenced for the day. Raising the issue amidst din, Satish Mishra (BSP) demanded scrapping of CSAT and Ramgopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party) wanted that Indian languages should be allowed in the preliminary examination.
Some other members including D Raja (CPI) and V Maitreyan (AIADMK) said candidates from Tamil Nadu were in a disadvantageous position as they were not well-versed in English or Hindi and demanded that they should be allowed to write the examination in Tamil.
As Maitreyan sought an assurance from the Government about a discussion on the issue, his party colleagues came into the well raising slogans.
Raising the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to help resolve the matter, Pramod Tiwari (Congress) charged the Government with intentionally creating an atmosphere of English versus Hindi.
Dissatisfied with the Government’s statement on Tuesday on resolving the examination issue, Naresh Agarwal (Samajwadi Party) said the Government is not replying “to the issue raised by us. The Prime Minister has returned from Nepal and he should speak.”
Nine Opposition parties had given a notice for suspension of Question Hour in Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue but Chairman Hamid Ansari asked them to give proper notice and not raise “extraneous” matters during the Question Hour.
Derek O’Brien (Trinamool Congress) accused the government of “knee-jerk reaction” to the students’ agitation and said “that reaction has a counter reaction. There are nine parties which feel this issue needs to be discussed. let Government give an assurance that they will discuss the issue.”
P Rajeeve (CPI-M) said the statement made by Government on the issue has opened a Pandora’s box. Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said the matter will not be resolved till there is a discussion on it and Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) sought to know when will there be a discussion as the House is till August 14 and civil services examinations are on August 24.
Countering their charges, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (BJP) the Government had handled the issue with honourable intentions and blamed the erstwhile UPA regime for creating this situation. He also said the NDA Government was committed to honouring all the Indian languages.
Kicks up a row
The entire Opposition did not allow the Question Hour to function as members sought an immediate debate on the ongoing examination row. The proceedings were adjourned for half an hour when some AIADMK members came into the Well shouting slogans. Several other MPs belonging to Congress and TMC also trooped into the aisles protesting against the Government’s decision
The lok Sabha also saw a brief adjournment of 15 minutes during Zero Hour when Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janta Dal members entered the well creating noisy scenes and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked them to give notice for their demand for a discussion
However, the main action was in the Upper House with the Opposition making its intentions clear as soon as the proceedings commenced for the day