SC pulls up TN govt on NEET issue , asks for steps taken to control protests

Chennai: The Supreme Court asked the Tamil Nadu government to apprise it about the steps taken to control the protests over NEET examination which had intensified after the alleged suicide of a Dalit medical course aspirant.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud asked the chief secretary of the state to file an affidavit in this regard in two weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on October 19.

The top court had on September 8 asked the state to prevent any agitation over National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) examination issue which had intensified after the suicide of a 17-year-old girl S Anitha.

It had also directed the government to prosecute anyone indulging in any activity that created a law and order problem and stalled normal life in the state.

Anitha had allegedly committed suicide on September 1, a week after the top court had ruled that medical college admissions in Tamil Nadu will be based on the NEET exam.

The apex court had said that every citizen had a fundamental right to peacefully protest and demonstrate, but they cannot cause a situation that resulted in violence and paralysed the law and order situation.

The petition, filed by advocate G S Mani, has said that the state was under obligation to ensure that normal life of the citizens was not disrupted due to these agitations and protests.

The plea also claimed that due to the agitations and rail and road blockages, normal life of citizens has been jeopardised and the people were facing immense difficulty due to this.

It had further said that political parties and individuals cannot be allowed to hold protests against the order passed by the apex court in NEET matter.

The suicide of the girl had led to widespread protests in Tamil Nadu with many protesters being detained. The petitioner had also sought a judicial inquiry into the suicide.