BJP adopting double standards on NEET, charges Health Minister

The Health Minister said that the BJP had earlier assured that it would extend support to the state government in all aspects when it comes to NEET exemption for the state. However, leaders of that party were now adopting double standards and a proof of this fact was the PIL petition filed by BJP state secretary K Nagarajan in the High Court of Madras.

Recently, Nagarajan filed a PIL petition stating that the committee headed by Justice Rajan to study the impact of NEET on medical applicants in the state should be quashed as it is a waste expenditure of public money and selection of the students based on class 12 marks would lead to selection of average minds and below average students. The plea stated that the committee was arbitrary, illegal, unconstitutional and unreasonable and the Madras High Court on Monday asked the state to respond to the plea within a week.

He added that a total of 86,342 people have expressed their views on NEET and Justice Rajan committee was looking into them. A report would be submitted to the government based on these opinions soon. Subramanian said that at least 13 students have already lost their lives due to the impact of NEET and they demanded an exemption from the test, as it affected the poor and rural students.

“During the recent Assembly session, BJP leader Nainar Nagendran said that his party will be legally support the state on the NEET issue. But on the contrary, one of the leaders of his party has filed a PIL to quash the AK Rajan Committee and this has exposed the double standards of the party,” the Health Minister said. Subramanian said that there was no confusion regarding the state’s stand on getting exemption from NEET as the efforts were being made towards the same. Chief Minister MK Stalin during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month also discussed the exemption issue, he added.