The Rajya Sabha witnessed a period of intense commotion and heated exchanges on Friday during a crucial discussion on the Anti-Paper Leak Bill. The primary cause of the uproar was a remark made by the Leader of the Opposition and Congress President, Mallikarjun Kharge, regarding the Manusmriti. The situation escalated to a point where the Chairman of the House had to intervene, eventually leading to the expunging of Kharge's comments from the official records of the proceedings.
The Genesis of the Controversy
During the debate on the legislation aimed at preventing paper leaks in competitive examinations, Mallikarjun Kharge raised concerns about the educational curriculum. He alleged that elements of the Manusmriti were being incorporated into the new syllabus. This statement immediately drew sharp reactions from the treasury benches, with members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raising strong objections to the comparison and the context in which it was used. The Chairman interrupted Kharge, questioning the relevance of Manusmriti to the Anti-Paper Leak Bill currently under discussion.
BJP's Strong Rebuttal
The Leader of the House, JP Nadda, led the charge against Kharge's remarks. Nadda stated that the comments made by the Leader of the Opposition were factually incorrect and beyond the scope of reality. He warned that such statements could lead to unrest in society. Nadda further challenged Kharge to authenticate the original text of the Manusmriti he was referring to, emphasizing that the claims were baseless. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi also spoke on the issue for about one minute. During his brief address, Trivedi cited references from various books, including those by former Calcutta High Court Judge William Jones and Dr. R. Ambedkar. He urged for the authentication of the claims made by the opposition, though he was also interrupted by the Chairman during his speech.
Opposition's Defense and Counter-Claims
On the other side, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari defended Kharge by quoting a specific book. Tiwari claimed that the book he was referring to was published during the tenure of the current government and isn't banned. He argued that if such content is being shown or cited, the responsibility lies with the government. Tiwari pointed out that the BJP has been in power for 12 years. In response, JP Nadda reiterated his demand for the original text from the pre-British era to be produced, maintaining that such statements only serve to spread disharmony, while following the heated debate, the Chairman announced that Kharge's remarks regarding Manusmriti would be expunged from the record.
Jitendra Singh on Recruitment Agencies and NTA
Amidst the chaos, Union Minister Jitendra Singh addressed the House regarding the recruitment infrastructure in the country. He highlighted that there are four main recruitment agencies in India: the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). He further noted that for admissions into higher education, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is now operational, while singh pointed out the irony that the suggestion to create a national agency was first proposed in 1992 during a Congress-led government. He mentioned that several committees were formed, and even in 2010, during the UPA regime, a committee had strongly recommended the establishment of the National Testing Agency. Singh remarked that the UPA's incomplete agenda and unfinished work are now being fulfilled and carried forward by the NDA government under Prime Minister Modi, suggesting that the opposition should actually thank the Prime Minister for this progress.