Protests break out across TN against NEET
by NT Bureau
Chennai: Activists of various students’ federations and political parties staged protests against National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) across Tamilnadu on Sunday, a day after three Medical aspirants ended their lives fearing failure in the exam.
Members of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Student’s Federation of India, All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), People’s Federation, Tamil Puligal, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and other outfits resorted to protests in Madurai, Karur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Kanyakumari, Virudhunagar and elsewhere across the State.
In Madurai, police detained 30 protesters when they blocked vehicular movement at Narimedu, demanding the Centre to scrap the NEET.
Meanwhile, police stepped security at NEET exam centres following widespread protests across the State.
Three medical aspirants, namely M Jothi Sri Durga (19), Aidhya (20) and M Motilal (21) committed suicide fearing NEET in Madurai, Dharmapuri and Namakkal districts, respectively on Saturday sending shockwaves across the State.
In Chennai, activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students Federation of India (SFI) courted arrest for staging protests against the NEET.
The chain of protests by DYFI and SFI were held in different parts of the city including at Ayanavaram, Vepery, R K Nagar and Aminjikarai.
In some places, they attempted to stage a road blockade agitation, but were detained by the police and taken to various marriage halls.
They shouted slogans denouncing the Centre and demanded scrapping of the NEET exam. They also condemned the Centre for holding the exam in this time of Covid-19 pandemic when the students found it hard to prepare for the exam.