Arch-rivals Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday crossed swords over the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test with the ruling party in Tamil Nadu challenging the AIADMK to join it in a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi while the opposition party said the exam came into existence during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime.

IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin takes a picture of press photographers on the occasion of World Photography Day, in Chennai, as state youth welfare minister Udhayanidhi Stalin (second from left) looks on, August 19, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

The DMK was a key constituent of the UPA coalition

The ruling DMK held a day-long hunger strike seeking abolition of NEET, even as its president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said the demand was not political in nature but was being sought by all those who seek "social, equitable education."

Stalin assured all efforts will be taken to ensure NEET exemption for the state, as his son and cabinet minister Udhayanidhi led the party's state-wide hunger strike demanding the abolition of the test. If the INDIA coalition wins the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, "there will be no NEET in Tamil Nadu", Stalin said.

The DMK will not stop till Tamil Nadu gets exemption from the central qualifying test for medical courses, Stalin said, while the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the ruling party in the state for "politicising" NEET.

AIADMK general secretary K Palaniswami said NEET came into existence following a Medical Council of India notification in 2010 when the UPA was ruling the country.

Udhayanidhi said the party won't stop with today's agitation and that it would even stage a protest in Delhi over the issue.

Stalin also took a swipe at Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, who recently said that he would never sign in favour of the state's anti-NEET bill.

The CM said now that the matter is with the President, the Governor's job is only that of a "postman" who has to pass on to Rashtrapati Bhavan matters taken up by the state assembly.

The ruling party's hunger strike was held throughout the state except in Madurai where the AIADMK held a massive state conference today. In the temple city, the NEET strike will be held on August 23.

The DMK is opposed to NEET, saying it is against social justice, insisting it favours the urban students and those having access to coaching centres. The party is also generally opposed to entrance exams for professional courses.

The DMK's Youth Wing, Students Wing and Doctors Wing were leading the strike on Sunday.

The hunger strike is being held in the wake of another suicide of an aspirant last week.

In his address at a wedding, Stalin reiterated that his party has been opposing NEET ever since it was introduced. He recalled medical admissions earlier being based on Class 12 marks and that it benefited students irrespective of their community status.

The earlier bill adopted by the Assembly during the AIADMK regime was returned and the then ruling party did not reveal it even when the legislative session was underway, he said. That bill subsequently lapsed, Stalin said, adding that his party, ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections, promised to wholeheartedly strive for a NEET ban.

The bill seeking exemption for TN was adopted twice after the DMK came to power and was "finally sent for Presidential assent after much struggle".

"This struggle will continue. DMK won't stop till NEET exemption is ensured. Whether or not in power, this movement is one that works for the people," the CM added.

In a social media statement later, he said demand for doing away with NEET was neither DMK's plea nor a political one. It was that of all of Tamil Nadu, he stated.

"If the INDIA alliance wins, there will be no NEET in Tamil Nadu. We will make this an electoral assurance," he added.

Speaking at the protest venue in Chennai, Udhayanidhi said NEET was an "unqualified exam" and trained his guns against both the AIADMK and Governor Ravi over the issue.

Hitting out at Ravi, he asked him to resign and face elections in Tamil Nadu and asserted he would be defeated by a humble party worker in the hustings.

He also challenged the rival AIADMK to adopt an anti-NEET resolution in its Madurai conference that was underway on Sunday.

"In Tamil Nadu, we both gave assurance. Dear Palaniswami (AIADMK chief), I plead with you...send your youth wing secretary or someone. We will also come. Let us all go and sit outside Prime Minister's house in protest. If the NEET exam is cancelled after that, you take all the credit for the same. Are you ready for this?" he asked the AIADMK.

Both DMK and AIADMK are opposed to NEET in the state.

Udhayanidhi asserted the struggle against NEET won't end with today's protest and said agitations will also be held in the national capital with Stalin's permission.

Underlining his commitment against NEET, he said he was not bothered even if he lost his minister's post by participating in today's hunger strike.

Hitting out at the DMK over the issue, AIADMK general secretary Palaniswami said the test was introduced during the Congress-led UPA regime of which the Dravidian party was a key constituent.

DMK staging a day-long hunger strike on Sunday seeking its abolition was a drama, he said.

Addressing a massive state conference of the party at Madurai, he asked Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi -- to not "fool" students on NEET.

The Medical Council of India had in 2010 issued a notification regarding NEET, the AIADMK leader said.

He said the Congress was at the ruling saddle at the Centre then, referring to the national party-led UPA government.

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union Health Minister while DMK's S Gandhiselvan was his junior, Palaniswami said.

"NEET came into existence then only. It is on record, can't be concealed. This was concealed (by the DMK). NEET was brought by Congress and DMK," he said.

"Today's fast (by Udhayanidhi) is a big drama. Ahead of the 2021 (Assembly) elections, Stalin said the first signature if DMK would be voted to power will be regarding scrapping NEET, which Udhayandhi echoed. They are in their third year (of governance) now. What have you done?" the former CM asked.

"Udhayanidhi, Stalin, don't fool students. NEET was brought by DMK, but the AIADMK tried to resist it. There is huge disappointment against the DMK government among the people. (So, the fast) is a drama. They had brought it and now they want it to be scrapped," he said targeting the ruling party.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly -- both during the previous AIADMK regime and the present DMK rule -- had adopted resolutions against NEET. Presently, the anti-NEET bill is with President Droupadi Murmu for her assent. Despite repeated pleas, the Centre has not heeded TN's request against NEET, Duraimurugan said.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party state president K Annamalai accused the ruling DMK of "politicising" NEET.

"NEET is a non-issue but the DMK has turned it into an emotional subject which has now led to the suicides of students," he alleged.

No other state in the country has seen such deaths related to the entrance test, he said. "They (DMK) are making politics out of this," Annamalai told reporters..