Furore over TN dalit girl’s death refuses to die down
Chennai, Sept. 3: ProTamil outfits continued with their protests for the second day on Sunday over the suicide of a Dalit medical aspirant and a court petitioner against NEET, even as DMK vowed to keep up its fight against the entrance exam.
Scores of activists of the “May 17 Movement” outfit were detained here when they attempted to lay siege to the BJP’s state headquarters here, the police said. They raised slogans against the Central and state governments over the suicide of 17-year-old Anitha from Ariyalur, daughter of a daily wage earner who allegedly hanged herself at her house in her native village in that district on September 1, reportedly upset over not getting an MBBS seat.
Security has been beefed
Opposition DMK targeted BJP and the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, faulting both for failing to ensure at least one year exemption for the state from NEET
up at the BJP office here. Pro-dalit Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) also staged protests here and scores of its volunteers were detained. They also attempted to burn a poster of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Protests were also held at various locations in Tiruvallore, Kanyakumari and Thiruvarur districts on this issue.
Anitha was reportedly upset after it became known that Tamil Nadu would not be exempted from the ambit of National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET). She had earlier moved the Supreme Court against NEET.
Opposition DMK also targeted BJP and the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, faulting both for failing to ensure at least one year exemption for the state from NEET.
DMK working president M.K. Stalin, who late last night paid tributes to Anitha at her native village shortly ahead of the cremation, said his party had donated `10 lakh to her family.
Mr Stalin told reporters at Ariyalur late Saturday night that he has convened a meeting of various parties to discuss the NEET row. Interestingly, jailed AIADMK chief V.K. Sasikala’s brother V. Divakaran backed the meeting.