Four days after the suicide of Anitha, a Dalit student from Ariyalur who challenged NEET at the Supreme Court, student protests continued across Tamil Nadu. More than 200 students protested outside Loyola College in Chennai on Tuesday demanding justice for Anitha and urging the Central government to ban NEET.
The students raised slogans against NEET and condemned the state and central government for Anitha’s death. A student protester told Tamil channel Puthiya Thalamurai, “I was also affected by the NEET examination. I hail from a rural village and we did not even know what NEET examination was. I took admission in Loyola College but my ‘sister’ Anitha could not bear it. We are asking for justice for her death. Everyone is responsible for her death including the state and Central government.”
Director Gowthaman and actor Rohini also participated in the protest. “Before Anitha’s death, there were several protests claiming that there was no need for NEET but nothing changed. One month ago, the (Central) government said that Tamil Nadu will be exempted from the examination then they refused to do that also. There is no use for NEET when there is no common syllabus for everyone. Can we only get justice after a person’s death? Will we get justice now? I don’t know but I’m here to support these protests,” said actor Rohini.
Anitha had committed suicide at her residence in Ariyalur district on Friday, distraught over not securing admission into a medical college. She had become the voice against NEET at the Supreme Court when she decided to fight for her future and that of thousands of other students.
But on August 22, the Supreme Court ordered the Tamil Nadu government to begin medical admissions based on NEET. This after the Centre reversed it stand, refusing to endorse Tamil Nadu’s draft ordinance seeking one-year exemption from NEET.
Her death triggered protests across the state, with student groups and political parties carrying out demonstrations. Protests were also carried out in Coimbatore, Trichy, Puducherry, Pudukottai and Ariyalur, the district that Anitha belongs to.The Opposition led by the DMK have also planned a massive rally for September 8 at Trichy.