TN CM Vijay Condemns Rahul Gandhi’s Detention, Demands NEET Scrap
PTI
CHENNAI, JUL 22 (TTP) — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday strongly condemned the detention of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other leaders during an anti-NEET protest in New Delhi, labelling the action "anti-democratic."
In a post on X, Mr. Vijay expressed full support for the protests against the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), demanding its complete abolition. "The arrest of several leaders—including the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Rahul Gandhi—who stepped forward to support the youth protesting in Delhi against the irregularities in the NEET examination, is undemocratic. These actions by the Union Government are condemnable," he stated.
Mr. Vijay reiterated TVK’s "uncompromising stance" on scrapping NEET, describing it as the only lasting solution to end the recurring controversies and the resulting mental stress on students. He urged the Union Government to respect the sentiments of the people and students.
To achieve a permanent solution, the TVK has advocated shifting education from the Concurrent List back to the State List, granting State governments full authority over admissions and education policy.
"If there are any legal or procedural hurdles in doing so, a Special Concurrent List should be created as an interim measure until they are resolved to grant powers to State governments," a statement from the TVK said.
Taking an apparent swipe at the DMK without naming it, the TVK stated it would not indulge in deceptive politics by making false promises to scrap the exam itself. The statement comes amid escalating political tensions in Tamil Nadu over the NEET issue and the recent detention of rapper 'Therukkural' Arivu, who raised anti-NEET slogans outside the State Secretariat. PTI
Our Final Thoughts
The intervention of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay into the national NEET discourse significantly amplifies the ongoing student protests. By firmly backing Rahul Gandhi and the opposition's stance while simultaneously proposing structural constitutional changes—like moving education back to the State List—Vijay is positioning the TVK as a formidable voice for federal rights. His sharp critique of both the Union Government's police action and the regional opposition's (DMK) unfulfilled promises demonstrates a calculated strategy to consolidate his political footing in Tamil Nadu while participating in the broader national pushback against centralized exams.