DMK general secretary and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, on Saturday, alleged that the AIADMK and the BJP refused to participate in the all-party meeting to discuss the Governor’s decision to return the Bill against NEET, as they “suffer from the guilt” of being “responsible for imposing NEET on Tamil Nadu students”.
Rejecting the criticism of AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam that NEET would not have been introduced if the DMK had withdrawn its support to the erstwhile Congress government at the Centre, Mr. Duraimurugan alleged it was the AIADMK government that had implemented NEET, triggering suicide of students.
He said NEET could not enter Tamil Nadu as long as the DMK government led by M. Karunanidhi was in power. “The DMK, which was part of the Congress-led government, had obtained a stay against NEET in the Madras High Court. Subsequently, the Supreme Court also ruled against NEET. It came to an end during the rule of the Congress-led government,” Mr. Duraimurgan asserted.
He said Mr. Panneerselvam had forgotten the fact that the BJP at the Centre, secured an order in the Supreme Court in favour of the exam on April 11, 2016.
“The BJP government also brought an ordinance for its implementation. It kept for 27 months, the Bill adopted in the Assembly against NEET, when the AIADMK was in power. The AIADMK government also suppressed the fact that the President had rejected the Bill,” he charged.
Mr. Duraimurugan said even though the President returned it, the AIADMK government could have adopted another resolution. It could have at least sought an explanation from the President for returning it.
“The AIADMK and the BJP enacted a drama, saying they have sought an explanation for reason behind returning the Bill,” he alleged. Mr. Duraimurugan said if the AIADMK had respect for the Assembly’s sovereignty and concern for students’ welfare, it should have attended the all party meeting.
He said the people of Tamil Nadu would teach a fitting lesson to the AIADMK and the BJP in the urban local bodies elections. “I would like to remind Mr. Pannerselvam that Tamil Nadu is a land where students revolted, organised non-violent protests and sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Tamil language,” he added.
