The government on Thursday offered to discuss the students’ issue “the way the Opposition wants it”, tacitly giving in to a demand from the opposition for an adjournment motion but ruled out any pre-condition such as the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, something the latter and protesting students continue to insist on. Track July 24 Jantar Mantar protests hereThe jockeying over how the issue will be debated in Parliament comes against the backdrop of a 48-day long protest launched by the CJP, after the NEET paper leak. (ANI/PTI)Opposition parties, however, decided to continue their protests. On Thursday evening, Rahul Gandhi , the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha called a meeting of all opposition lawmakers to chalk out new protest plans to highlight the students’ issue outside the Parliament. On Tuesday, Gandhi had led an unprecedented protest outside the PM’s residence.ALSO READ | Sonam Wangchuk ends hunger strike after 26 days; PM Modi, Abhijeet Dipke reactParliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the government is willing to discuss the larger issue in Parliament. “We have conveyed directly and through the Lok Sabha Speaker, that the government is ready for a discussion regarding the NEET paper leak in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. We have assured the Opposition that the government is prepared to hold the discussion on their preferred date and the way they want it.”Backdrop of the protestsThe jockeying over how the issue will be debated in Parliament comes against the backdrop of a 48-day long protest launched by the CJP, after the NEET paper leak. It gathered momentum with activist Sonam Wangchuk launching an indefinite fast, and snowballed into a full-fledged movement over the weekend after the government moved Wangchuk to a hospital, and came down hard on a protest march to Parliament organised on Monday.To be sure, some of the protestors indulged in vandalism, and targeted media and police personnel, but the police and Rapid Action Force personnel used lathis, tear gas, and electric batons to control the crowd. Several policemen, RAF personnel, and students were injured.ALSO READ | Decoding police powers, rights of protesters and law on use of forceDebate over adjournment motionEarlier on Thursday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the contours of the debate are open to discussion. “...the House is ready to discuss every issue. Please come after Question Hour. We will consult with all parties and speak to the government regarding the specific rule under which you wish to hold the discussion. The government is also prepared for a discussion; therefore, please proceed with the discussion,” he said, before adjourning the House.The government’s willingness to discuss the issue, and its openness to the terms of the discussion, assume importance as Opposition MPs such as Manish Tewari or Nasser Hussain have submitted notices for adjournment motions and Congress’ chief whip in Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh, insisted on the same on Monday.An adjournment motion is meant to discuss an urgent national issue by deferring or adjourning the day’s scheduled agenda, including the Question Hour and Zero Hour. Discussions under such a motion are followed by a division or vote in the House. If the Opposition wins the vote, it is considered a major political victory for them. The last time an adjournment motion was discussed was in 2015 on ex-IPL commissioner Lalit Modi’s escape from India.The government’s offer also assumes importance as Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh rejected Opposition-sponsored adjournment motions on the grounds that only rarest of rare issues could be discussed under the adjournment rule.Opposition sticks to Pradhan resignation demandThe government’s inclination, as conveyed through the back channels, was put on the table in the Opposition’s strategy meeting on Thursday morning, HT learns. But everyone, including Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, agreed to stick to their demand for Pradhan’s resignation as they didn’t want to “lose momentum”.When asked about the government’s proposal, Congress president and Rajya Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said, “For all these years, they (the government) never agreed to our demand for an adjournment motion...We want Pradhan to go. The government is trying to divert attention from the students’ issue and the Ram Mandir chanda chori (donation theft).”He blamed the government for running away from discussions on the students’ issue. “Today’s statement by PM Modi is instigative...We want to discuss this in the House, but the government is running away from discussion in the House,” Kharge said.Later, Kharge added, “If they were ready for a discussion, it would have started on the first day we had demanded it... Later, you lathi-charged the students...We are Parliament members, but the people from the ruling party itself blocked the door today...Why was he (PM) silent until now? If anyone is responsible for creating this situation today, it is the PM. He has openly asked his MPs to counter the students’ agitation.”Trinamool Congress lawmaker Saugata Ray told HT, “The government has indicated it might be open to debate the students’ issues under the adjournment motion in both Houses. But all Opposition parties decided not to accept it.”CPIM’s John Brittas said, “The government’s proposal to discuss it the way Opposition wants it, is an improvement from their earlier stand. But removal of Pradhan remains our pre-condition.”RSP leader MK Premachandran said, “The government might be open to adjournment motions, but we have to continue the protest.”Rahul Gandhi plans fresh protestsIn the Opposition’s strategy meeting on Thursday morning, Rahul Gandhi said that the Opposition can’t afford to send the message that “we are having a discussion to let Pradhan off the hook. We can’t lose the momentum.” He also suggested that the Opposition has to hit the streets and not keep their protest confined to Parliament. Gandhi held a meeting of all Opposition MPs and sought ideas for new protests.Responding to Modi’s promise about fast track courts, Gandhi alleged that it is Modi who has harmed the future of Indian youth the most. “You allowed and encouraged the total capture and destruction of our education system and protected every person responsible for it,” he said.Gandhi reiterated demands he made on Wednesday: Pradhan’s resignation; an apology from the PM to students; and action against law enforcement personnel who assaulted the students on Monday.Congress’s general secretary for communication Jairam Ramesh said, “The PM does not have the courage to stand up in Parliament, speak and engage in serious debate like all his predecessors did when the occasion demanded.”