Human chain protest by Oppn for Neet is to fool people: Pon Radhakrishnan

Chennai: Union commerce and industries minister Nirmala Sitharaman has claimed that she had no knowledge of where the bills unanimously adopted by the Assembly for excluding Tamil Nadu from Neet for medical courses, is, and said that she would however find out about its status.

The bills seeking Presidential assent was sent to the Centre in February immediately after the Edappadi Palaniswami government won the trust vote in the Assembly.

Although the Union minister asserted that the state is in talks with the Centre on the issue, she insisted that she “didn't know where it is.” “I can reply only after knowing where it is. I don't know where it is (now). I will find out and tell,” she replied when reporters sought to know from her about the status of the bills that have been pending with the centre all these months.

“AIADMK has already explained about its opposition to Neet in Parliament in detail,” she added. Her colleague and Union minister of state for road transport, Highways and shipping Pon Radhakrishnan who has highly critical of the opposition DMK and other parties in seeking exemption for the state said he was in favour of holding the national level eligibility test for the benefit of students.

“I am not agreeable to the idea of exempting TN students from the exam. DMK's human chain protest is an act aimed at fooling the people,” he said referring to the DMK's proposed agitation across the state on July 27 seeking Presidential assent for two bills adopted by Assembly seeking exemption from Neet for the state.

Stating that Neet is essential for MBBS, BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan said TN government should conduct coaching classes for students and prepare them for the entrance test.