CHENNAI: Rapper and activist Therukkural Arivu on Wednesday clarified that he did not meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during his visit to the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, a day after he was detained while protesting against the NEET examination outside the Secretariat.
In a series of statements posted on social media, Arivu said reports claiming that he had met the Chief Minister were incorrect. He said he met only Health Minister Aadhav Arjuna and urged the Tamil Nadu government to intensify its efforts to secure the complete abolition of NEET.
Arivu was detained by police on Tuesday while staging a protest outside the Secretariat, demanding that the Tamil Nadu government strongly oppose NEET and extend support to students protesting against the examination in Delhi. He was later taken back to the Secretariat, where he met Minister Aadhav Arjuna.
Clarifying the sequence of events, Arivu said he never met the Chief Minister.
"On July 21, I met Hon'ble Minister Aadhav Arjuna at the Secretariat. During the meeting, I conveyed that violence against peacefully protesting students is against the spirit of democracy. I did not meet the Hon'ble Chief Minister. I wish to clarify this in view of media reports stating otherwise," he said.
Arivu said the NEET examination had created fear and uncertainty among students and urged the State government to continue pressing for its abolition.
He said several young lives had already been lost because of the pressures associated with the examination and warned that more students remained vulnerable unless the system was changed.
"The NEET examination has created fear and uncertainty among students. We have already lost many young lives, and the risk of losing more continues. This situation has the potential to seriously affect the mental well-being of students and the future of our nation," he said.
Appealing to the Tamil Nadu government, Arivu urged it to intensify efforts towards securing the complete abolition of NEET and continue supporting students opposing the examination.
Arivu also expressed solidarity with students across India who have been protesting against NEET. He urged the Union government to immediately stop the alleged use of force against students demonstrating in Delhi and called on the Tamil Nadu government to extend support to the protesters.
His clarification came a day after his detention outside the Secretariat drew widespread attention and triggered political reactions, including criticism from Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, who condemned the police action and said voices demanding the abolition of NEET should not be suppressed.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin condemned Arivu's detention, alleging that the rapper's voice reflected the sentiments of lakhs of students and parents opposed to NEET.
Udhayanidhi said protests against NEET were intensifying across the country and argued that voices demanding the abolition of the examination should not be suppressed.
Arivu's clarification comes amid widespread public attention over his protest and the subsequent reports surrounding his visit to the Secretariat.