DMK's anti-NEET hunger strike underway in Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI: The ruling DMK's state-wide hunger strike demanding the abolition of the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET), headed by state Minister and the party's Youth Wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin, began across Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

Udhayanidhi was joined here by senior DMK leaders and cabinet ministers-- Duraimurugan, Ma Subramanian and PK Sekar Babu, party MPs, MLAs and Chennai Mayor Priya R at the start of the protest in Valluvar Kottam here.

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A collage of medical aspirants who allegedly died of suicide over NEET, including S Anita of Ariyalur was put on display at the stage here and floral tributes paid to them. The state-wide hunger strike is being held to seek abolition of the central qualifying test, especially in the wake of another alleged suicide of an aspirant last week.

Duraimurugan said NEET was against the welfare of students and that the DMK has been opposing it for long. The state Assembly--both during the previous AIADMK regime and the present DMK rule, had adopted resolutions against NEET. Presently, the anti-NEET bill is with the President for her assent. Despite repeated pleas, the Centre was not heeding TN's request against NEET, Duraimurugan said.