DMK party leaders observe a minute’s silence for NEET aspirants who died by suicide in Tamil Nadu.
Chennai: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)’s student wing and the medical wing on Sunday began a state-wide hunger strike demanding the abolition of the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) in Chennai. Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare Udhayanidhi Stalin was joined 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.
DMK’s Anti-NEET Hunger Strike Underway in Tamil Nadu
The state-wide demonstration is against state Governor RN Ravi over his refusal to ban the NEET examination in the state and the Central government. The hunger strike protest, which started at 9:00 AM will continue till 5:00PM. TN Minister Health Minister M Subramanian, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Minister Sekar Babu, MP Dayanidhi Maran, and MP Kanimozli NVN Somu along with various DMK cadres participated in the hunger strike.
Meanwhile, in Madurai, the DMK protest has been postponed to August 23, 2023, due to the AIADMK conference scheduled today, news agency ANI reported. Before the hunger strike, DMK party leaders observed a minute’s silence for NEET aspirants who died by suicide in Tamil Nadu. A collage of medical aspirants who allegedly died of suicide over NEET, including S Anita of Ariyalur was put on display at the stage and floral tributes paid to them, new agency PTI reported.
Anti-NEET Hunger Strike|Watch
#WATCH | Chennai: DMK party leaders observe a minute’s silence for NEET aspirants who died by suicide in Tamil Nadu. Party leaders stage a protest against state Governor RN Ravi over his refusal to ban the NEET examination in the state. pic.twitter.com/h9dDF6R577
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2023
Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on NEET Ban
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on NEET ban
“…We stand by the students. We have been asking for a ban on NEET for almost 5-6 years. We have lost 20 students. Everybody will have to take moral responsibility.” pic.twitter.com/U8EqqUobgX
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2023
Father-Son Duo Dies By Suicide In Chennai
In August, a NEET aspirant failing to clear the examination hanged himself to death. A day later on Sunday, his father also committed suicide. The son, Jagadeeswaran (19), hanged himself to death after he could not clear the NEET repeatedly even after attending coaching classes. The incident occurred at Chrompet, Chennai in his residence on Saturday(August 12), and on Sunday(August 13) his father Selvasekar, who is a single parent, also committed suicide.
Earlier, DMK leader TKS Elangovan criticised Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi for his statement over the state’s anti-National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) bill and said that he has disrespected the Assembly resolution. Elangovan was responding to Ravi’s statement made on Saturday that he would never give clearance to the Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted bill against the NEET. “The Governor is an appointed person who doesn’t have popular support. He disrespected the Assembly resolution. What is the attitude he is showing? He cannot say that. His duty is to sign or return the paper with a reason. He cannot say no to any Bill passed by the legislature,” Elangovan told news agency ANI.” We have to fight it out, so we are conducting agitation,” he further added.
Meanwhile, following the alleged suicides of a father and his son after the student failed to clear the NEET, Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday said, “We stand with students”. Speaking to ANI, Stalin said, “We stand with students. We have been asking for a ban on NEET for almost five to six years. We have lost 20 students. Everybody will have to take moral responsibility.”
Kota Bizarre Way to Prevent Student Suicides
In a bid to bring down the rising cases of suicide by coaching students in Kota, the district administration has directed all the hostels and paying guests (PG) accommodations in the city to install spring-loaded ceiling fans. The bizarre move was taken as a means to manage the mental health crisis going on in the coaching hub of the country.
(With Agencies Inputs)
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