Ruling DMK on Sunday held a state-wide hunger strike demanding the abolition of the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET). The strike is led by state Minister and the party’s Youth Wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin. Except for Madurai, where the AIADMK is holding a massive state conference today, the strike is being observed across the state. In the temple city, the NEET strike will be held on August 23.
Udhayanidhi was joined in Chennai by senior DMK leaders and cabinet ministers– Duraimurugan, Ma Subramanian and PK Sekar Babu, party MPs, MLAs and Chennai Mayor Priya R at the start of the protest in Valluvar Kottam, reports PTI.
DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday assured all efforts to ensure NEET exemption for the state, as Opposition BJP slammed the ruling party in the state for “politicising” NEET.
A collage of medical aspirants who allegedly died of suicide over NEET, including S Anita of Ariyalur was put on display on the stage and floral tributes paid to them, at the protest venue at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai.
The state-wide hunger strike is being held to seek abolition of the central qualifying test, especially in the wake of another alleged suicide of an aspirant last week. A 19-year-old medical aspirant died by suicide at Chromepet area in Chennai after he failed to clear NEET twice. Unable to bear the loss, his father killed himself two days later, reported India Today.
The deceased Jagadeeswaran was found dead in his room on August 12.
Duraimurugan said NEET was against the welfare of students and that the DMK has been opposing it for long. Despite repeated pleas, the Centre was not heeding TN’s request against NEET, he added.
The state Assembly–both during the previous AIADMK regime and the present DMK rule, had adopted resolutions against NEET. Presently, the anti-NEET bill is with the President for her assent.
NEET is one of the most contentious issues between the Raj Bhawan and the state government. Earlier, CM Stalin had said that Governor RN Ravi has no authority over the Bill, and described him as an individual with a ‘cold heart’.
“No matter how many lives are lost like that of Jagadeesan, his heart is not going to change. Such cold hearts don’t value human lives,” the Chief Minister said, as quoted by India Today.