In a bid to intensify the protests against NEET, Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Udhayanidhi Stalin declared that he is ready to give up his post as a Minister to fight for the rights of Tamil Nadu students and declared that this is the beginning of a larger protest against NEET.
The protests that began on Sunday August 20, were held across Tamil Nadu by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the wake of ths suicides last week of a father and his son Jagadeeswaran who was unable to clear NEET. The protest was also attended by Fayasudeen, a former classmate of Jagadeeswaran, whose emotional speech against NEET at the home of the deceased student had created a huge debate.
Speaking at the protest, Udhayanidhi said, “I have been to the homes of nearly all the 21 students who died by suicide[NEET suicides]. Not to visit the children, but to see their dead bodies and to comfort their parents. When I visited Jagadeeswaran’s home, his friend Fayasudeen shouted at me. After Ammasiappan questioned the Governor, the BJP demanded action against him. Try and take action against him, let’s see if the people of Tamil Nadu spare you. The BJP thinks ‘how can you question the Governor?’. Why not? Fayasudeen questioned me. I have the courage to bring him on stage. Does the Governor have the same courage? If you endanger the job of Ammasiappan, we will not spare you.”
Udhyanidhi was referring to an incident that occurred on August 12, at a felicitation ceremony for students who scored high marks in NEET, held by Governor RN Ravi at the Raj Bhavan. At the ceremony, a parent who was also a Union government employee, KR Ammasiappan Ramaswamy questioned the Governor asking when he would give assent to the NEET exemption Bill passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The Governor replied that if it were up to him, he would never give assent for the Bill. The BJP has now filed a complaint against Ammasiappan with the executive director of the Salem Steel Plant where he works.
It must be noted that the Bill is currently with President Droupadi Murmu, awaiting her assent. The anti-NEET Bill was first passed in the state Assembly in September 2021, but did not receive the Governor’s assent for many months until it was sent back to the Assembly by the Governor.
In a historic move for the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the Bill was passed again in February 2022 without any amendments during a special session. It was the first time in the Assembly’s 70-year history that a Bill had been passed again with no amendments.
At the protest on Sunday, Udhayanidhi doubled down on his criticism of Ravi and said, “The governor is holding coaching classes for candidates who appeared in NEET. To a parent who raised a question regarding assent for the NEET exemption bill, the governor says ‘never ever’. I am asking, ‘who are and what authority do you have to say this?” He further added, “Are you a people’s representative? You are just a post man. Whatever the Chief Minister says, your job is to convey the same to the Union government.”
Udhayanidhi also added that, “I have been speaking against NEET for the past five years and I will continue to speak against it. I am not participating in this protest as a minister, I am here as Udhayanidhi Stalin. I am here as a brother of all the 21 students who died because of NEET.” The minister also added that, “Before participating in this protest, people told me that it will create trouble as I am holding a ministerial position. An AIADMK advocate has lodged a complaint against me accusing me of breaching the oath. I don’t mind losing my minister post to secure the rights of the students of Tamil Nadu. I am ready to face everything.”
Also speaking at the event, Fayasudeen said, “I ask that it is made compulsory for all ministers and government officials to send their children to government schools. Perhaps the revolution against NEET is coming so late because the students who have died are like Anitha who was the daughter of a daily wage labourer or Jagadeeswaran who was the son of a photographer. Maybe if the same had happened to the children of an MP or MLA, the revolution would have happened earlier.”