Jallikattu-type stir in the making

Slowly but surely, protests over Dalit girl S Anitha’s suicide are building into another Jallikattu type stir with student unrest spreading across Tamil Nadu even as politics on the issue heated up

Bitter exchanges between the principal opposition party, the DMK and the BJP, which sees a conspiracy against Narendra Modi in the suicide and protests occurred on Tuesday.

Whether in Chennai or Coimbatore or at Ariyalur, from where Anitha hailed, the protesters are demanding justice for Anitha that can come only with abolition of NEET and a judicial probe into her suicide.

BJP Tamil Nadu unit chief, Tamilisai Soundarrajan went as far as to allege that suicide of Anitha and protests were a conspiracy against the Centre.

“Our government only wanted to help, but the we all have to accept the court verdict,” the BJP leader said .

DMK working president MK Stalin meanwhile convened an all party meet on the issue, where it was decided to seek transfer of education to the state list so that the state government had full control.

There was no letup in protests across the state. Thousands of college students across the state went on protest sit ins, shouting slogans and courting arrest.

“State and central governments are responsible for Anitha’s death,” said SFI convenor P Uchimakali.