CM MK Stalin led meet decides to intensify legal fight against NEET, AIADMK; BJP boycott deliberations

CHENNAI: A meeting of legislature party leaders chaired here on Wednesday by Chief Minister M K Stalin to deliberate an action plan to secure exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET decided unanimously to pursue all necessary legal steps, including challenging it afresh in the Supreme Court.

The meeting was boycotted by the main opposition AIADMK and BJP as well, and both parties dubbed the meeting a "drama." Stalin, addressing the meeting, said that the NEET is not an exam from which the state cannot be exempted and exuded confidence of getting an exemption for the state through legal means.

For the sake of the welfare of coaching centres, some persons out of selfishness, have misled the union government and hence the national test is being held. Referring to CBI cases over alleged NEET-related irregularities, the chief minister said that the nation knows well that NEET is not being conducted properly.

Further, Stalin said: "The yesterday's Supreme Court verdict (over governor vis-à-vis bills passed by TN Assembly) has given us great confidence. I have the confidence of getting exemption from NEET if we carry on our legal struggle continuously without slackness."

Legal struggle to secure NEET exemption

A resolution on the course of action to be followed, moved by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin was adopted unanimously in the meeting. The resolution said: "This all party meeting unanimously resolves that the Tamil Nadu government must continuously carry on the legal struggle to secure NEET exemption." The Tamil Nadu government had in 2023 moved the Apex Court opposing the NEET exam. The resolution said that such a fight must go on at a time when the President has declined (recently) to grant approval for the bill passed by the state assembly to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET for medical admissions.

Also read Sharp dip in NEET cut-off for MBBS in Tamil Nadu government medical colleges

Tamil Nadu anti-NEET bill

The resolution further said that it has been unanimously decided to take up all legal steps by consulting legal experts. Such steps include filing a fresh case, if needed, in the Supreme Court challenging the denial of approval by the union government for the Tamil Nadu (anti-NEET) Bill. The steps also include taking forward the case filed by the Tamil Nadu government in July 2023 in Supreme Court opposing the NEET examination system.

The representatives of parties that took part in the meeting welcomed the resolution of the deputy chief minister and it was unanimously passed. Representatives of the ruling DMK, Congress party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, CPI, CPI(M), MDMK, PMK, MMK, Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi (TVK, led by T Velmurugan) and KMDK took part.

Anti-NEET Bill proposal to Governor

They expressed confidence that the Tamil Nadu government would emerge victorious in its fight against NEET, like its legal win in the apex court in the matter related to Bills put on hold by Governor RN Ravi. Stalin, in his address, recalled that he proposed the anti-NEET Bill on September 13, 2021 and following adoption in the Assembly, it was sent to Governor to get Presidential assent.

"The Governor should have sent the bill immediately to the President. I place it on record with anguish that he began doing politics without doing his Constitutional duty," he said. Also, the chief minister said the government put up a spirited fight to get approval for that bill.

Under these circumstances, on February 1, 2022 the governor sent back the bill to the Assembly. Immediately, on February 5, 2022, a similar meeting of legislature party leaders was held and it was decided to pass once again the returned bill and send it afresh to the governor.

Accordingly, on February 8, 2022, the bill was adopted again by the Assembly and it was sent to governor for getting the approval of the President. The chief minister recalled that he called on the governor, the prime minister and home minister in this regard and sought expeditious approval.

All party MPs called on the President and presented a memorandum and in view of such continuous follow-up work, Stalin said the anti-NEET bill was sent to the union home ministry by the governor and this was conveyed by him on the floor of the Assembly on May 4, 2022.

Centre declines to approve anti-NEET billl

Though the state government provided all due explanations to union ministries, the Centre declined to approve the anti-NEET bill and days ago, Stalin said he informed the House with anguish about the denial of nod. The chief minister also recalled that he had said that the struggle against NEET has not come to an end just because the union government has rejected Tamil Nadu's anti-NEET Bill. Ministers including Duraimurugan (Water Resources) and S Regupathy (Law), senior advocate and DMK Rajya Sabha MP, P Wilson, Advocate general of Tamil Nadu, PS Raman, top government officials took part.