Drama in Lok Sabha as Pappu Yadav raises 'ReNEET' slogan: ‘You'll teach me?’

Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav from Bihar's Purnea drew attention as he took the oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words "ReNEET" amid demands to cancel the NEET-PG 2024 examination hit with allegations of paper leaks. Yadav concluded his oath with a series of slogans that sparked a heated exchange in the Parliament.

"Re-NEET, special status for Bihar, Seemanchal Zindabad, Manavtavaad Zindabad, Bhim Zindabad, Samvidhan Zindabad," he said, drawing immediate objections from treasury benches.

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As the ruling coalition legislators expressed their disapproval, Yadav retorted, “I am a six-time MP. You'll teach me? You have won on the mercy (of others). I fight alone.”

Pappu Yadav merged his Jan Adhikar Party with the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections but his hopes of contesting from Purnea were dashed when ally RJD unilaterally announced the candidature of JD(U) turncoat MLA Bima Bharti. Pappu Yadav contested as an independent and won the seat by a margin of over 23,000 votes. Bharti finished a distant third and lost her deposit. Yadav had represented the seat thrice in the 1990s.

The second day of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha witnessed members raising various slogans after concluding their oath. Many of the MPs raised "Jai Hind", "Jai Maharashtra", "Jai Bheem" and "Jai Shivaji" slogans after taking oath.

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On at least one occasion, the pro-tem speaker reminded members not to deviate from the prescribed oath and read aloud only what was written on the paper they had been given.

Alfred S Arthur, the Congress' Outer Manipur MP, took his oath in English and said, "Manipur mei nyay dilaye, desh bachaiye."

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AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi hailed a conflict-hit West Asian region after taking oath as a Lok Sabha member, triggering an uproar from the treasury benches that led to the chair striking it off the record.