Union Home Minister Amit Shah has hit back at Opposition claims that he is avoiding Parliament, asking the public to decide “who is running away” and challenging the Opposition to allow a discussion on the NEET protests.

In his first response to the Opposition's continued demand for his presence in the House, Shah said he had been attending Parliament regularly but that proceedings in both Houses were being disrupted.

Shah also rejected phrases such as “laapata” and “bhaag gaye”, saying such language was increasingly being heard in India's public and parliamentary discourse.

“I have been coming to Parliament regularly since the session began,” Shah said, adding that he remained in his chamber while the Opposition was not allowing Parliament to function.

Shah said the government was ready for a discussion on the NEET protests and that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had already made its position clear.

According to Shah, the Opposition had initially sought a discussion and the government had agreed to the demand. He said he was also ready to answer questions in Parliament but claimed the Opposition was unwilling to allow the discussion to take place.

Turning the Opposition's charge back on them, Shah said the public should decide who was avoiding the discussion.

He proposed that the Opposition submit a letter to the Speaker by 3 pm and said the government was ready for a discussion from 3 pm on Wednesday until 3 pm on Thursday.

“I will sit in the House; I will listen to everyone and respond to every point,” Shah said, asserting that the government had “nothing to hide”.

Opposition has been demanding Shah’s statement

The remarks come amid a prolonged standoff between the government and Opposition over the alleged police excesses against student protesters during the July 20 Parliament march over the NEET paper leak issue.

Opposition MPs, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, protested in the Parliament House Complex on Wednesday, demanding that Shah come to the House and make a statement on the alleged police action against students.

The Opposition has also been raising the issue of alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Carrying placards and raising slogans outside Parliament, Opposition MPs demanded Shah's presence in the House. The INDIA bloc has said it will continue to press the government on both issues.

Government offer fails to end stalemate

The government's offer of a discussion and Shah's willingness to respond have so far failed to break the deadlock.

The Congress has maintained that any response from the Home Minister should specifically address who ordered the alleged use of pellets against student protesters. It has also described a discussion on the alleged Ram temple donation theft as a non-negotiable demand.

Shah, meanwhile, said he was prepared to discuss the protests and answer questions from the Opposition.

He also said he was willing to discuss why the Opposition did not want the proposed discussion to take place.

“The NDA government—under Modi ji's leadership—is ready to discuss anything; they just need to let Parliament function,” Shah said.