BJP declines to take part in Tamil Nadu government meet on NEET

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu BJP on Friday said it will not participate in the all-party meeting of the state government on Saturday to discuss the future course of action in the wake of Governor RN Ravi returning the TN Assembly bill seeking exemption from NEET for admission to undergraduate medical courses.

Questioning the rationale of conducting the meet even after the Governor clearly stated that the bill is against the interests of the rural and economically poor students, BJP chief K Annamalai, sought to know if ruling DMK aims to do politics on the issue. "Why should the government adopt the same Assembly route when a similar attempt in 2017 led to the President returning the bill? Are you miscalculating that you can do politics on the issue," Annamalai asked in a letter to the Chief Minister, a copy of which was made available to the media here. While thanking the Chief Minister for the invite, the BJP president said his party is willing to extend its full cooperation to all endeavours aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of the people but never to issues that deceived the people.

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"Tomorrow’s meeting is an eyewash. The BJP has decided not to attend it," Annamalai said while pointing out that several educationists including former vice-chancellors had favoured NEET. Returning the bill to the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker on February 1, for its reconsideration, the Governor cited a 2020 case and said that the Supreme Court had comprehensively examined the issue from a social justice perspective and upheld NEET as it prevents economic exploitation of poor students and is in furtherance of social justice.

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Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor-in-charge of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday said a Governor has powers to return a Bill to the Assembly in case the Bill is found to be not good for the welfare of the people. Talking to reporters after worshipping at a temple in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Tamilisai said, "It is wrong to say the Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has acted against the Constitution when he returned the anti-NEET Bill to the Assembly Speaker. She said there was a provision in the Constitution conferring powers on the Governor to return a Bill if it is found to be against the welfare of the people - here, it is particularly students trying for medical seats. Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy was also present when Tamilisai was addressing reporters.