MHC disposed of a plea against DMK's anti NEET campaign

CHENNAI: The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court (MHC) observed that any party has the right to agitate against what they oppose and disposed of the petition against the anti-NEET signature campaign being driven by DMK as the petitioner withdrew his plea.

A litigant M L Ravi, Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi, president filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to restrain the school education department from allowing students and teachers to participate in the anti-NEET campaign launched by the Sports minister and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin.

The case was listed before the first division bench of the MHC comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy.

The bench questioned the petitioner on how he was affected by the signature campaign driven by DMK and observed that any party can agitate against something that they find to be opposed.

Further, the bench instructed the petitioner to pay Rs.1 lakh as to prove his bona fide. However, the petitioner submitted to withdraw the plea. Hence the bench disposed of the petition as it was withdrawn.

According to the petitioner, without having proper permission DMK cadres execute signature campaigns within the premises of the schools along with school students and teachers, which is unlawful. The school students were also tutored against NEET and compelling students to sign the campaign which disrupts the minds of the students and their caliber gets affected, contended the petitioner.

As there is no notification or circular from the government to the signature campaign, a minister of the State who has taken oath on the constitution can not campaign against NEET, as it was enacted as law and implemented.