CHENNAI: The student-led protest demanding the abolition of NEET in solidarity with brethren in Delhi began as a small gathering at the CPI's Balan Illam in T Nagar, but has entered its fifth day with growing participation.
As the protest gathers momentum, members are angry with the incumbent, which decided to focus on the first-day, first-show of Chief Minister Vijay's final film, Jana Nayagan, instead of joining or voicing support for the stir, shifting the focus of the movement.
What started on the night of July 20 as a small gathering of eight people at the CPI's Balan Illam in T Nagar has grown into a sustained protest, drawing around 600 to 700 students and youth. The protesters are demanding far more than the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, as they have sharpened their attack, demanding the scrapping of the medical entrance test.
Although the protest entered its fifth day on Friday, the enthusiasm among the participants remained strong. On Jana Nayagan's release day, the anger was directed at TVK president and CM Vijay and his party men for not actively participating in the protest, despite having raised their voices against NEET in the past.
Several speakers mocked the Chief Minister and held placards carrying slogans such as, "We need Jana Nayagam, not Jana Nayagan," implying that the State needs democracy rather than a film.
Amid these developments, the All India Youth Federation (AIYF) issued a press release urging protesters not to criticise any particular political party, stating that doing so could divert the movement from its core objective of demanding the abolition of NEET.
Despite the appeal, several speakers continued to target Chief Minister Vijay and the Jana Nayagan movie during the protest, with some raising questions about whether opposition parties are attempting to use the student-led agitation for their own political agenda.
Meanwhile, the May 17 Movement also organised a protest against NEET and the alleged assault on students protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Addressing the press, May 17 Movement founder Thirumurugan Gandhi urged the State government to permit students to stage protests at Chennai's Marina Beach. He also questioned whether the TVK was seeking to mobilise students only to gain political support and votes.
Meanwhile, the State administration was obviously worried about the spread of the protest across the State and tightened security. Police have intensified security across Coimbatore, including at the CODISSIA grounds and VOC Grounds, following intelligence inputs that anti-NEET protesters were planning to gather for a large-scale demonstration. As a precautionary measure, security was also strengthened at several key locations across the city.