Former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has hit out at Chief Minister N Rangasamy for “keeping quiet without raising protests” against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Addressing reporters on Sunday, February 6, the Congress leader said that the Puducherry CM should write to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and Union Health Minister registering the territorial government's objection to NEET and reject the system of holding the NEET for allocation of medical seats.
"Instead of taking a firm stand, Rangasamy is keeping quiet and causing hardship to the poor and rural students aspiring to become doctors," Narayanasamy said. He recalled how the previous Congress-DMK coalition government in Puducherry, headed by him, had adopted a resolution on the floor of the Assembly protesting against NEET and sent it to the Union government.
Dubbing the action of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi returning the anti-NEET Bill to the Assembly Speaker as “a clear violation of democratic principles and overstepping the constitutional provisions”, Narayanasamy said Governors appointed by the Union government were proving themselves “to be spies and agents of the Union government”.
He also accused the BJP-led Union government for ignoring the interests of the people of Puducherry, as none of the promises that the Union had held out to the people have been fulfilled. “Farmers, workers in the unorganised sector and fishermen are in distress and the UT government has not come forward to alleviate their woes”, he said.
He also said that there was also a delay in appointing chairpersons by the AINRC-led government in Puducherry from among the legislators for the state-government sponsored public sector undertakings (PSUs) in the region.
“Corporations and enterprises like Puducherry Power Corporation, government owned distilleries and Puducherry Planning Authority were earning profits but are now bereft of chairpersons. The government should post the heads without any further delay”, Narayanasamy said, adding that steps should be taken to reopen the Anglo French Textiles (AFT) Mill, Swadeshi Cotton Mills and Bharathi Mills which were operated by Puducherry Textile Corporation.