Chennai, July 22: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and leader of the Tamilga Vetrik Kazhagam (TVK), C. Joseph Vijay, broke his silence on Wednesday regarding the nationwide protests over the NEET controversy. He condemned the arrest of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders in New Delhi, labeling the police action against student protesters as ‘undemocratic.’
In a statement released on the social media platform X, Vijay expressed solidarity with opposition parties protesting inside the Parliament premises following police action against demonstrators participating in the ‘March to Parliament.’ He reiterated the party’s unwavering opposition to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
Vijay emphasized that since the party’s inception, TVK has consistently advocated for the permanent abolition of NEET. He stressed that the party would not exploit this issue for electoral gain, highlighting the significant hardships the exam has imposed on students and their families.
Calling for structural reforms, Vijay stated that a permanent solution would involve transferring education from the concurrent list to the state list, granting states the authority to establish their own admission policies. He suggested that until these constitutional changes occur, the central government should create a special concurrent list to give states greater control over school and medical education.
He mentioned that TVK had presented both permanent and interim proposals during the party’s educational awards ceremony, urging the central government to respect the sentiments of students and the people of Tamil Nadu by withdrawing NEET.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid rising protests across the country concerning question paper leaks, exam irregularities, and the transparency of medical entrance examinations.
On Monday, thousands of students, youth organizations, and political activists participated in the ‘March to Parliament’ in New Delhi. Protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, justice for students affected by the NEET controversy, and comprehensive reforms in the examination system.
A heavy police presence was deployed during the protests, with barricades set up and police resorting to baton charges as demonstrators attempted to march towards Parliament.
Several protesters, including Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, were detained for participating in the demonstration in support of students.
In Tamil Nadu, student organizations and political parties also protested against the police actions in Delhi, reiterating their long-standing demand for the abolition of NEET.
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