Anti-NEET hunger strike: DMK vows not to rest until abolition of NEET

CHENNAI: The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) student wing and the medical wing on Sunday staged a State-wide hunger strike demanding the abolition of the National Entrance-Cum-Eligibility Test (NEET).

Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin was joined by senior DMK leaders and Cabinet colleagues Duraimurugan, Maa Subramanian, and P K Sekarbabu, DMK MLAs, MPs, and Mayor of Greater Chennai Corporation R Priya at the start of the protest in Valluvar Kottam here.

“NEET is against the welfare of the students and the DMK is fighting a long legal battle against NEET. Apart from politics, many educationalists oppose NEET. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government are ignoring it. We are the only people in India, who are opposing NEET. Because we have the future thinking that this will ruin the future of our students,” Senior Minister Duraimurugan said while addressing the protest here.

Further, the veteran leader said that history will be made that the person who abolished the NEET is Udhayanidhi.

“Udhayanidhi has vowed not to rest until we abolish NEET in the state. The minister will announce a continuous protest against NEET. History will be made that the person who abolished NEET is Udhayanidhi. The Curse of NEET will be the end of the BJP-led Union government,” he added.

The State-wide demonstration is against Governor R N Ravi over his refusal to ban the NEET in the state and the Union government.

The hunger strike protest was started at 9 am. Earlier in the day, DMK leaders observed a minute’s silence for NEET aspirants who died by suicide in Tamil Nadu.

A collage of medical aspirants who allegedly died of suicide over NEET, including S Anita of Ariyalur was put on display on the stage and floral tributes were paid to them.

Meanwhile, in Madurai, the DMK hunger strike has been postponed to August 23 due to the AIADMK conference scheduled on Sunday.