Kanhaiya accuses Centre of trying to weaken 69 per cent quota via NEET

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a two-day state conference of the AISF, which commenced on Saturday, he said, “The 69 per cent reservation policy of the state is being attacked through the NEET.”

He further said that the state is the land of social justice and state rights. “People here fought for language rights and 69 per cent reservation. Now, there is a continuous attack on the idea of social justice through the steps like NEET examinations,” he added. “Slowly through the office of the Governor, the Centre is trying to snatch away state rights, which was won after a long struggle,” he said.

Stating that the present Union government is trying to break the federal structure of the country, the student leader said that there has been a continuous attack on education and the funds for education has been cut. There has been reduction in number of seats too. 

He also pointed out that due to NEET there has been student suicides in states like Tamil Nadu.

Citing the continuous contentions over beef, cultural and other religious nature, he said that there has been a clear cut imposition of casteist, brahminical hegemony in the country. The current dispensation has been diverting the attention of the people from the basic issues affecting them like lack of job creation, agrarian crisis manifesting in the suicide of the farmers and the cut in the funds for education in budget. 

He alleged corporate loot of the country and cited the death of 13 protesters, who struggled against the Sterlite unit in Thoothukudi. 

Later, the student members took out a rally from the railway junction to Gandhi Adigal Salai where a public meeting was held. The meeting was addressed by Kanhaiya Kumar, Viswajit Kumar, All India general secretary of AISF and Dinesh Kumar, state secretary.