New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) Amid the continued impasse in Parliament and the opposition's protests, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday that the government has consistently favoured a debate on the NEET paper leak issue since the beginning and blamed the Opposition for ‘exploiting’ the issue to derail the House proceedings. The House, on the fourth consecutive day, witnessed uproar, with the Opposition insistent on immediate discussion on the issue.Rijiju said all the allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are also on board regarding a detailed discussion on the NEET issue. He also informed the House about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message for stern action against those involved in paper leaks.

The proceedings in both Houses have been stalled because of government-opposition deadlock as the former insists on readiness for debate and the latter remains bent on the Education Minister’s resignation before initiating debate.As the Rajya Sabha proceedings began on Thursday, Kiren Rijiju told the House that the government has engaged with opposition leaders, particularly Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and others, to facilitate the commencement of a discussion in the House.He said that the government had requested the opposition to decide on the duration and format of the NEET discussion through mutual consent, insisting that it was not right to attach any ‘preconditions’ to it. He claimed that the opposition talks about discussion but keeps obstructing it by imposing conditions.

He said that the opposition’s conduct gives the impression that it was unwilling to engage in discussion about sensitive issues about students and was only resorting to rhetoric.Rijiju asserted that the NEET examination issue should not be politicised and serious debate should be held in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.Informing the House about the constitution of fast-track courts for speedy justice in NEET paper leaks, Rijiju said that this will ensure that those guilty will receive swift and severe punishment.He also appealed to the opposition to withdraw their conditions and allow the discussion on the NEET issue to proceed in the House without obstruction.Opposition benches, refusing to buy the government's stance, stated that they remain firm on their demands and that the Union Education Minister must resign from his post, taking responsibility for widespread irregularities in the examinations.

/IANS