The AIADMK government maintained in the Assembly on Wednesday that it was still strong in its stand against implementing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions in Tamil Nadu.
Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said the State government continued its stand against NEET in the State and was taking “multi-dimensional efforts” against the entrance test that include political pressure as well as legal option.
Dr. Vijayabaskar was replying to DMK president and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin, who raised the issue in the House during zero hour and questioned the State government on the status of the case by it in the Supreme Court last week.
The DMK leader sought to know from the government whether it was planning to take steps for another resolution against NEET since the earlier resolution passed by the Assembly was withheld by the President. Mr. Stalin said the action of the AIADMK government was the “biggest betrayal to social justice and students from rural areas.”
‘Opportunity lost’
The Health Minister took a dig at the DMK for having “sowed seeds of betrayal” as early as December 2010 when the idea of NEET came about during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), in which the DMK was an ally.
He said the State government was committed to fight against NEET and hence it had moved the Supreme Court seeking to challenge a provision governing the Indian Medical Council Act.
When Mr. Stalin said it was his party which moved the court against NEET and got a stay, Dr. Vijayabaskar said the then Medical Council of India under the UPA regime moved a review plea in the case despite the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa urging against it.
DMK’s Deputy Leader Duraimurugan intervened to say that the former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was “stubborn” in her stand against NEET but since her death, the ruling party could not prevent holding of the entrance test in the State.
A defensive Dr. Vijayabaskar listed the efforts taken by the AIADMK government against NEET through the years and said the DMK lost the opportunity to stop the entrance test while it had a chance and was now questioning the AIADMK.
