CHENNAI: Questioning the Tamil Nadu government's handling of the anti-NEET protests, film director Pa Ranjith on Thursday asked why students opposing the entrance examination were subjected to police action when the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) itself claimed to be against NEET. Urging Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to earmark a designated venue for peaceful demonstrations, Ranjith said the government should stand with students instead of suppressing their protests. "If the government is genuinely committed to abolishing NEET, it should stand alongside students instead of suppressing their protests," he said.
Addressing an anti-NEET protest in Chennai, Ranjith said the nationwide student agitation had gathered unprecedented momentum, with members of the public joining demonstrations across the country. He said the movement had reached a stage where civil society, students and cultural personalities were coming together against the medical entrance examination.
Ranjith said filmmaker Vetrimaaran was among the first to urge collective action against NEET, while actor Revathi had also expressed her willingness to participate in the campaign. He said the protest was organised as the first public programme of the newly launched Neelam Students' Organisation after consultations with its office-bearers. He also thanked actor Sathyaraj for extending support through a video message.
Saying the recent visuals of police action against student protesters prompted him to participate, Ranjith said public support for people's movements would eventually expose what he described as false allegations levelled against activists. Referring to B.R. Ambedkar's philosophy, he said he did not believe in constantly proving himself before critics.
Praising the "Karappan Poochi" movement, Ranjith said it had succeeded in mobilising large numbers of young people despite attempts to ridicule it. Rejecting criticism that Generation Z lacked political awareness, he said society had failed to politically educate young people and build sustained movements despite several student deaths linked to NEET over the past decade.
He alleged that NEET reinforced social and economic inequalities by favouring students with greater financial resources while disadvantaging those from marginalised backgrounds. He also criticised what he described as persistent misconceptions surrounding reservation and argued that inequalities within the examination system were rarely questioned.
Ranjith said the slogan "Jai Bhim" had emerged as a unifying call transcending caste identity and credited the ongoing student protests with bringing Ambedkar's ideals to the forefront of a nationwide movement for equality.
The filmmaker also criticised the government's response to Dalit issues, referring to the delay in unveiling an Ambedkar statue in Salem and the arrest of protesters. Questioning the silence of Dalit ministers on such issues, he demanded that the government inaugurate the statue and withdraw criminal cases against those arrested.
Accusing successive governments of compromising on caste and social justice issues to protect their political interests, Ranjith said governments should prioritise equality over electoral calculations. He reiterated his support for the anti-NEET movement and appealed to the State government to join students in intensifying the campaign for the abolition of NEET.