Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid Opposition uproar; Speaker says govt ready for paper leak debate
New Delhi: Proceedings in the Lok Sabha were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday after persistent protests by Opposition MPs disrupted the House on the third day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The latest adjournment came amid escalating protests by the INDIA bloc over the alleged manhandling of students and Opposition lawmakers during recent demonstrations, with the Opposition demanding the dismissal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Before the House was adjourned, Speaker Om Birla informed members that the government was ready to discuss the paper leak issue after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met him.
However, the Opposition continued raising slogans and insisting on Pradhan's resignation, leading to another adjournment till 2 pm.
Earlier in the day, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had been adjourned and reconvened at 12 noon.
In the Rajya Sabha, proceedings were again disrupted after Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge began speaking on the police action against students protesting the alleged NEET examination paper leak.
Kharge alleged that protesting students were subjected to a lathi charge and that police had also used tear gas against them.
His remarks triggered loud protests from treasury bench members, while Opposition MPs also raised slogans. Amid the uproar, Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan adjourned the House.
Joining the Opposition protest near Makar Dwar in Parliament, Congress MP KC Venugopal asserted that the party would continue its agitation until justice is delivered to the country's youth.
Demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, Venugopal said, ‘We will not step an inch back until our demands are met and the youth of India are delivered justice.’
Ahead of the day's proceedings, leaders of several Opposition parties gathered in the chamber of Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to coordinate their strategy for the Monsoon Session.
Earlier, MPs from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress and other Opposition parties staged a coordinated ‘Black Day’ protest on the Parliament premises. Senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, participated in the demonstration, with MPs dressed in black to protest what they termed the government's crackdown on students and Opposition leaders.
The Opposition has accused the Centre of suppressing democratic protests and using security forces to target students and elected representatives.
The ‘Black Day’ protest was organised to highlight concerns over the handling of recent student agitations and the country's education system.
Joined the protest of Opposition MPs in front of Makar Dwar in Parliament, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
We will not step an inch back until our demands are met and the youth of India are delivered justice. pic.twitter.com/uvTgLINsh9— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) July 22, 2026
Speaking a day after Congress leaders were detained during protests at Lok Kalyan Marg, Kharge alleged that BJP-RSS volunteers had operated alongside police personnel without identification badges and accused the government of functioning in a dictatorial manner.
On Tuesday, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and several other party leaders were detained by Delhi Police during a protest at Lok Kalyan Marg before being released later.
With both Houses witnessing repeated disruptions despite the government's indication that it is willing to discuss the paper leak issue, the deadlock in Parliament is expected to continue unless a consensus is reached over the Opposition's demand for the Education Minister's resignation.