TIRUCHY: After a short delay because of confusion over a Supreme Court order banning protests against the National Eligibility cum Enterence Test (NEET), which came minutes ahead of the DMK meeting in the city, M K Stalin declared that the party and allies would organise peaceful protests across the State on September 13.
Speaking at a meeting organised to condole the suicide of medical seat aspirant Anitha, Stalin criticised the Union government, saying it had indicated the possibility of NEET exemption to Tamil Nadu for a year, which had kindled the hopes of aspirants.
In an indirect reference to the Supreme Court order, Stalin said the party would not be cowed down by threats. He claimed that the Commissioner of Police who arrived at the venue asking them to cancel the event was unable to produce the copy of the SC order.
As news of the SC order came, Stalin held a discussion with alliance leaders - R Mutharasan, G Ramakrishnan, Thirunavakarasar, Thol Thirumavalavan, Jawahirullah and Khader Mohideen, and decided to go ahead with the meeting.
“Party sources from New Delhi and Chennai got hold of the order and deciphered it, which clearly said that meetings can be held peacefully without affecting law and order,” Stalin said. Eventually, the meeting started with a two-minute silence in the memory of Anitha.
Leaders of alliance parties tore into the Union government for its handling of NEET. Jawahirullah said: “Tamil Nadu always encouraged students irrespective of their backgrounds. Dreams of Anitha were shattered only by the bizarre approach of BJP.”
Thirumavalavan emphasised that the State lost its rights after education was moved to concurrent list and asked for a recall to the State list.
“Where does uniform education prevail in this country and how can CBSE and NEET be benchmark for medical education?” he questioned.
He said the State and Central governments were trying to scuttle the issue, as was evident from the SC order, which okayed meetings in a peaceful manner,but law enforcing authorities tried to stop it.
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