State BJP leaders on Tuesday came out in support of NEET, despite Union minister and party leader Nirmala Sitaraman’s August 13 announcement that the Centre would “cooperate” with the State to promulgate an ordinance to provide one-time exemption for admitting medical aspirants on the basis of their Plus Two scores.
BJP leaders claimed that the party had gone along with the exemption idea only because of pressure from the Tamil Nadu government. Now that the Supreme Court had stepped in, they said, the matter was out of their hands.
Union Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan, who had earlier taken credit along with Ms. Sitharaman for pushing through the exemption, said: “When a State government comes to us, we cannot say no. This case was unlike the jallikattu issue, where only Tamil Nadu was involved. When it comes to NEET, the Supreme Court has to consider what other States might do.”
“What Nirmala Sitharaman said was that she has no problem, but what can we do if the court gives a decision?” asked Mr. Radhakrishnan.
‘Dharma has won’
BJP’s national secretary H. Raja, a strong votary of NEET, tweeted, “Admissions to medical colleges will be based on NEET exams only. Dharma has won. Congratulations to NEET students.” He blamed the State government for triggering Ms. Sitharaman’s announcement.
“After continuous pressure from the State government, few ministers with good intentions tried to bail out the State government.... Nirmalaji tried to find a solution. But legally, its not possible,” he contended.
Mr. Raja said that the Central government had no option but to oppose the State government’s efforts in court after, “the court revealed its mind four days back itself.”
BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan claimed that Ms. Sitharaman’s announcement was about deliberations about the exemption, not an actual decision. “There was a confusion in between. However, as far as I am concerned – as the State president of the BJP, as a doctor, I had expressed my support for the implementation of NEET before the PM’s Office and the Union Health Minister....Since the State government continued to pressure, central ministers made some attempts. No decision was taken,” she also said.
