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Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu garnered support for the signature campaign against the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination in the presence of TN Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chennai on Friday.
The campaign was held today at the TN Congress Headquarters at Mount Road in Chennai. Senior Tamil Nadu Congress leaders and Congress cadres, including TN Congress Committee President K.S. Alagiri, TN Legislative Assembly Committee President Selva Perunthagai and Congress MLAs, among others, participated in the campaign. Last month, in October, Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) launched a signature campaign against the NEET examination for admission into medical and dental colleges and invited arch-rival AIADMK to participate in the protest and support the cause. Speaking to the media at the signature campaign, DMK youth wing chief Udhyanidhi Stalin said, "Youth wing, medical wing and the students wing of DMK started this NEET ban campaign 10 days back and our target was getting 50 lakh signatures in 50 days." "We have crossed almost 3 lakh signatures in the online campaign and have crossed almost 10 lakh signatures in this postcard campaign, so today we have requested Congress leaders, and they have signed this campaign. I would also like to request that the public take part in this campaign," Stalin said. The signature camp, which is conducted by the youth, students, and medical wings of the DMK both online and offline across Tamil Nadu, aims to reach out to over 50 lakh people and submit the petitions to President Droupadi Murmu. NEET has been an emotional and political issue in Tamil Nadu, with nearly a dozen students ending their lives either due to fear of appearing for the exam or clearing it and all political parties, except the BJP, demanding its removal. Udhayanidhi Stalin urged Congress and DMK cadres to use the signature campaign turns the agitation against NEET into a people's movement. The state government passed legislation in 2021 seeking exemption from NEET but it was returned to the Assembly in 2022. The bill was re-enacted and sent back to Governor RN Ravi who referred it to the President of India. Tamil Nadu believes NEET discriminates against students from rural areas who are forced to compete with those from urban areas. (ANI)
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