Bihar Opposition protests over paper leaks, seeks resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan on first day of Monsson Session

RJD and CPI(ML) Liberation leaders protest on the Bihar Assembly premises on the first day of the Monsoon Session of the State Legislature in Patna on Monday. | Photo Credit: - Opposition parties in Bihar on Monday (July 20, 2026) staged a protest on the State Legislature premises over question paper leaks, including the alleged NEET paper leak, and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, on the inaugural day of the five-day Monsoon Session.After offering condolences to departed legislators, the House was adjourned till 11 a.m. on Tuesday. The session is scheduled to end on July 24.₹87,383 Cr. supplementary BudgetThe State government also presented the first supplementary Budget of ₹87,383 crore for the 2026-27 financial year. The House will discuss it on Thursday (July 23). The government is expected to introduce several important Bills during the session.“Several incidents of question paper leaks have happened in the State, and now even the NEET has also been marred by allegations of a paper leak. The functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) has pushed several genuine students into depression, with many even ending their lives. We demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for failing to stop the paper leak,” Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui told reporters during the protest.Opposition legislators were seen protesting on the steps of the Assembly, carrying placards and raising anti-government slogans.Presenting the supplementary Budget, Deputy Chief Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said, “A large portion of the Budget would be spent on development sectors like electricity, road, health, social welfare, education and employment.”“No paucity of funds”Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary asserted that the “government has no paucity of funds”. ”The Opposition is trying to create an impression that the government has no funds. That is not right,” he said. Listing the NDA government’s achievements, Mr. Choudhary also urged NDA legislators to spend at least two hours every evening campaigning for the Bankipur Assembly by-election.For the first time in several years, former Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar was absent from the proceedings of both Houses. His son and State Health Minister Nishant Kumar said “welfare measures initiated by his father during his 20-year tenure would be carried forward” and that the government would continue to receive his “father’s guidance”.Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav was also absent from the Assembly, prompting some NDA leaders to take a jibe at him. Mr. Yadav is reportedly on a foreign tour.The government is likely to introduce several Bills related to the health, education and finance sectors during the session. NDA legislators asserted that they were “fully prepared” to answer any query raised by the Opposition during debates.Earlier, Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar held a meeting with representatives of all political parties and requested them to ensure smooth functioning of the House. Published - July 20, 2026 06:32 pm IST