The DMK-Congress alliance, in their manifesto, has promised to scrap the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admission in Tamil Nadu. But the AIADMK-BJP alliance, on the other hand, has another plan for NEET, which has become an election issue in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
Stating that NEET will continue to be implemented in Tamil, Piyush Goyal said, “I don’t think NEET should be scrapped..I will talk to AIADMK and convince them.”
He was addressing the media in Chennai on Friday where he said that the government of Tamil Nadu had always requested for NEET to be conducted in Tamil. “The people of Tamil Nadu wanted NEET to be in the regional language so that they have an even chance. We have accepted and implemented this,” he said.
NEET, which has replaced other entrance methods for medical admissions in India, was resented by several students and parents, who criticised the Centre as well as the state government for not blocking the exam or doing enough to prepare students.
Read: Why NEET is an election issue in Tamil Nadu
The Congress has said that it will strive to implement reservation in private sector as well. To this, Piyush criticised Congress President Rahul Gandhi, for introducing the old system of letting the management of medical colleges to take capitation fee from students.
“He is giving only the rich people in the state medical seats. People of Tamil Nadu want to get admission on the basis of merit. I charge the Congress for wanting to remove NEET so that the poor don’t get the seat,” he said.
The AIADMK has promised that it will work for a temporary exemption from NEET for students in Tamil Nadu.
‘Included Ayyakannu’s demands in BJP manifesto’
Piyush also that the demands of various farmers organisation, including Tamil Nadu’s P Ayyakannu, was acceded and included in the BJP manifesto. Ayyakannu, a lawyer and farmer, has always been at the forefront of the farmers’ protests for one-time loan waiver and Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
“Ayyakannu had raised the demand for pension for farmers. The BJP manifesto announced to introduce a scheme to ensure this. Ayyakannu has also welcomed our other initiatives to interlink rivers, the Rs 6,000 per year income support to all farmers and MSP for 22 products,” he said.
The Union Minister also thanked actor Rajinikanth for welcoming the BJP’s promise of implementing river inter-linking. Notably, the actor had earlier urged people to vote for a government that can permanently end the water crisis in the state.
‘DMK-Congress, an alliance of corruption’
Piyush Goyal also took a potshot at the various scams the leaders of Congress and DMK have been named in, including the 2G scam, the coalgate scam and the Aircel Maxis scam.
“The people of India want an honest and clean government, and that can only be provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and not by a party whose president is out on bail for irregularity and fraudulent monetary transactions,” he said, taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, who, along with Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, were granted unconditional bail in the National Herald case, in 2015.
Piyush also said that Rahul Gandhi insulted the engineers of Tamil Nadu when he criticised the Train 18 or the Vande Bharat Express, which was designed and built by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. The train had suffered a breakdown on its inaugural run in February.
“I think the people of India will do a surgical strike on DMK and Congress because they are the fountainhead of corruption in this country,” he said, adding, “I am sure all voters in Tamil Nadu will elect a government at the centre led by Narendra Modi, just like how they had supported Puratchi Thalaivi Amma.”
Source: The News Minute