Puthiya Tamizhagam leader K. Krishnasamy , who has come under severe criticism for his support for NEET, on Sunday, reiterated that contrary to popular perception, the national level examination for medical admissions has established social justice by ensuring more seats for students from rural districts in medical colleges. In an interview to B. Kolappan , the Dalit party leader alleged that Ariyalur medical aspirant Anitha was made a sacrificial goat for the benefit of the opposition parties in Tamil Nadu. Excerpts:
All political parties, including the ruling AIADMK, are opposing the NEET. You are the only non-BJP leader who is supporting it…
The AIADMK is actually for the NEET, but has yielded to the pressure of the DMK. The DMK has succeeded in politicising the issue as it turned the people of Tamil Nadu against the Centre in the 1960s using the single word ‘Hindi.’ It hugely benefited from the anti-Hindi agitation and has now taken up the NEET issue. Its plan is to strengthen itself before the Lok Sabha polls and the Assembly polls. The party has scant regard for the livelihood of the people of Tamil Nadu and it never bothered to improve the standards of education. The NEET has proved to be the need of the 21st century. Admission gained by more students from backward districts like Ariyalur is a testament that the NEET has established social justice. The test has eradicated the rote learning system encouraged by schools in Namakkal district.
The allegation is that you have become a puppet in the hands of the BJP-led Central government…
The NEET was introduced by the Congress-led UPA government of which the DMK was a constituent.
In 2013, the Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir quashed the NEET. But, a five-member Bench reversed this forcing the BJP government to enact a law for implementing the test. When the Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha, all the AIADMK MPs staged a walkout but I could not come across any news about the DMK MPs, including Kanimozhi, staging a walk out. When Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman suggested an ordinance for dispensing with the NEET, I objected to her proposal. If I am a mouthpiece of the BJP, I would have remained silent. I believe that the NEET provides an opportunity for Tamil Nadu students to compete with students of other States. This small step is a big lead for Tamil Nadu students.
How do you see the death of Anitha, who was denied an MBBS seat due to NEET?
She was induced to commit suicide. She was a 17-year-old poor girl, who lived in a house without any basic amenities. Who took her to meet leaders of all political parties? There are other students who have scored 200 out of 200 in four subjects, but they failed to clear the NEET. Have they committed suicide?
Anitha has been made a sacrificial goat by these political parties. They indoctrinated her as they did in the case of Muthukumar, who committed self-immolation in support of Sri Lankan Tamil cause. Dhanu, the human bomb who killed Rajiv Gandhi, was also a victim of indoctrination. That is why I have demanded a CBI inquiry into Anitha’s death. At least, the State government should place before the people the details of the circumstances led to her death.
You have placed an argument saying that others have ruled the country for 1,500 years and now the time has come for the Hindus to rule…
I am an atheist. All I said was that it was the aspiration of the Hindu nationalist. What is wrong in it?
I am not just viewing it only as a religion, because there is a great civilisation and culture. They say India should be ruled by Indians because it was ruled by others for 1,500 years.
It is being alleged that former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa secured a MBBS seat for your daughter…
It is absolutely baseless. My daughter scored 1,063 marks in Plus-Two examinations and studied MBBS in Annamalai University. It was in 2001 and at that time AIADMK and the Puthiya Tamizhagam were politically streets apart. My daughter later cleared All India Examination and joined DGO in SRMC.
The management even offered her a seat to study MS. The issue came up for discussion in the Assembly when I asked about political appointment of public relations officers and prosecutors.
