NEET issue rocks Assembly on the first day of monsoon session

CHENNAI: Monsoon session of the State Assembly had a stormy start on Monday, with the Opposition pressing its demand for a ban on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Leader of the Opposition, MK Stalin, said many NEET aspirants had died during the past few days, and that a condolence resolution should be adopted. DMK MLAs were also seen wearing face masks with the words: “Ban NEET, Save TN students.”

Speaking to reporters after the House was adjourned, Stalin charged that the ruling AIADMK had failed to exert sufficient pressure on the Centre to scrap NEET, and that the government was staging a drama in this regard. However, Minister C Vijayabaskar hit out at Stalin’s remarks and said, neither DMK nor the Congress had any moral rights to raise the NEET issue. 

“Everyone knew that the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) notification for NEET was issued on December 27, 2010, when the Congress- DMK government was in power.” NEET was being implemented based on a Supreme Court verdict, and the AIADMK had been consistent in opposing the same, the minister added.

Meanwhile, Stalin also said numerous notices were given by the DMK and its allies, to discuss various issues of public interests, including the National Education Policy (NEP) and NEET, however, the Speaker did not accept those demands.

In remembrance

On the first of the three-day session, the House also paid homage to late parliamentarians – former President Pranab Mukherjee, Congress MP H Vasanthakumar, DMK MLA J Anbazhagan – and those who lost their lives fighting the pandemic. Speaker P Dhanapal read out obituary references for former MLAs, including former ministers A Rehman Khan, K Lawrence, trade union leader G Kalan, and former BJP president KN Lakshmanan.

Venue changed

The Assembly venue has been shifted after 10 years, from Fort St George to Kalaivanar Arangam so as to maintain social distancing among members. The hall here is an exact replica of the one at Fort St George.