NEET leak: Cong raises breach of privilege issue over Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks

New Delhi: Former Union Minister and Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Monday submitted a notice seeking initiation of privilege proceedings against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged “derogatory references” to parliamentary committees while speaking on the NEET-UG 2026 controversy and measures to prevent paper leaks.

“I have given notice of question of privilege under Rule 187 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States against the Union Minister of Education for having lowered the dignity of Parliament and Parliamentary Committees,” Ramesh said on social media.

Ramesh also alleged that the minister made these “outrageous” remarks while presiding over what he described as “rot” in the Education Ministry that was destroying the future of lakhs of students across the country.

In his letter addressed to Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, the Congress MP referred to remarks allegedly made by Pradhan last week while discussing reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA).

According to Ramesh, the Union Education Minister had made comments about Opposition members, Parliament, parliamentary committees and the manner in which reports are drafted.

Ramesh wrote in his letter, dated May 18, that the conduct of the Education Minister amounted to a grave breach of privilege and contempt of the House.

“In fact, it is a perfect case of such breach of privilege and contempt and a fit case for action by you since the Standing Committee on Education is one of the eight standing committees of the Rajya Sabha,” Ramesh said.

The Congress MP further alleged that Pradhan had deliberately lowered the stature and prestige of the Standing Committee because of its bipartisan character.

“The Minister’s comments also tantamount to imputing dishonourable motives to members of parliamentary committees themselves,” Ramesh wrote.

“These remarks of the Union Education Minister are outrageous. They are highly derogatory and seek to malign parliamentarians, parliamentary committees and the Parliament of India,” he said.

“The Parliamentary Committees are an extension of the Parliament of India, and rightly so referred to as mini-Parliament. Hence, the Executive’s accountability to the Legislature and its parliamentary committees is a fundamental tenet of India’s democratic polity,” Ramesh added.

“The Minister’s impugned comments clearly indicate and reveal his contempt for Parliament, parliamentary committees, members of parliamentary committees drawn from all political parties and India’s constitutional democracy itself,” he further said.

IANS