Women advocates rally behind Suriya over NEET row

TIRUCHY: Women advocates with the Tamil Nadu Progressive Women Advocates’ Association expressed their solidarity with actor Suriya’s statement on conducting NEET exams. Suriya in a Twitter statement on Sunday said that it was not right for courts to allow the in-person exams like NEET or JEE when the court judges themselves dispense justice through online platform.

In a statement, president of the association T Banumathi said, “To take remarks of Suriya, on the court’s online proceedings as contempt, worries our association and advocates in it. Our association sees his comment as him exercising his freedom of speech in an honest manner without intention to hurt anyone.”

She was referring to and expressing concern over Madras High Court Judge SM Subramaiam writing to the HC’s Chief Justice, recommending him to take Suriya’s comment as contempt of the court.Banumathi on the online proceedings said, “Though the advocates are demanding the courts to function as usual, the online proceedings continue. This hampers justice-rendering in many ways. Several advocates and petitioners are affected for a long time. Despite relaxations announced, many courts remain closed. They have reduced their operations and are taking utmost precautions owing to the pandemic. This is the fact even after the Central and the State government offices have become fully functional.” 

She supported Suriya’s comparison of courts taking precautions amid the pandemic and students going to write competitive exams. She further said that only with tolerance to receive such constructive views and criticism can a democracy flourish, and to criminally charge such comments with lack of tolerance would only give rise to dictatorship.