The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam along with major Opposition parties, the Congress, CPI (M), CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, and Indian Union Muslim League staged a protest against the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) here on Wednesday.
DMK’s Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi and TNCC president Su. Thirunavukkarasar led the protest demanding ‘justice’ for S. Anitha, a medical aspirant from Ariyalur who ended her life over NEET, at the Valluvar Kottam.
The protest meet is part of a series of DMK-led anti-NEET protests held across the state on Wednesday. Five such meetings were held within Chennai itself, one of them outside the District Collector’s office.
Leading the protest, Ms. Kanimozhi said that Tamil Nadu was alone in its opposition to NEET because of its unique history of fighting for social justice. “Our leaders and political parties have always fought for social justice. We have achieved what others could not,” she said.
She said that NEET was designed to favour CBSE students, who themselves have to take a test to prove their aptitude despite following the curriculum for years. “Most students who cleared NEET had to drop a year and attend coaching classes. Are there coaching centres in our villages, so that students like Anitha could become doctors?” she asked.