Oppn CMs tell Centre not to hold JEE-NEET

Sonia says Centre undermining state’s rights

The Chief Ministers of seven non-BJP-ruled states hit out at the Centre on its decision to hold the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), and decided to jointly move a review petition in the Supreme Court urging it to reconsider its recent order rejecting the deferral of the exams due to the raging coronavirus pandemic.

This was decided at a virtual meeting called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Parties like the DMK and the AAP, who were not part of the meeting, also joined the growing chorus against the holding of the JEE and NEET.

Ms Banerjee said: “Let us go to the Supreme Court. Let us talk about this matter. This is mental agony for students. I have not seen so many atrocities in a democracy. The situation is very serious. We have to speak up for the children.”

At the meeting which she had convened to discuss a range of issues ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, due to begin on September 14, Mrs Gandhi raised the subject of Centre-state relations and also the GST compensation issue.

She said: “I thought we should have an interaction so that we can have a coordinated approach. GST compensation seems to be a big issue. GST compensation being paid to the states on time according to laws passed by Parliament is crucial. But it is not happening. Dues have accumulated and the finances of all the states are badly affected.”

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray said: “We have to decide if we want to fear or fight the government. The people who elected the BJP at the Centre also elected all of us. But if we do something it is paap (sin) and if they do anything then it is punya (virtuous)?”