TN This Week: Gov Returns Anti-NEET Bill; AIADMK,BJP to Contest ULB Separately

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on January 3 returned to the Assembly Speaker a Bill that seeks exemption for the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). He stated the Bill is especially against the interests of the rural and poor students. Interestingly, the state government had formulated the Bill citing the same reasons.

There was heavy opposition to it in both the houses of Parliament. The hashtag ‘GetOutRavi’ trended on Twitter, and politicians from both the ruling and Opposition parties lashed out at the Governor. His move was seen as an attack on federalism.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi gave a speech upholding the primacy of states and their independent identities in Parliament on January 4. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin thanked Gandhi for voicing 'the long-standing arguments of Tamils in Parliament'.

Unfortunately, the state witnessed another fire cracker unit accident this week. In a cracker factory in Virudhunagar district, on January 29 night, a man died and two others suffered serious burn injuries in a fire accident.

To address child sexual harassment cases, Tamil Nadu’s Director General of Police (DGP) framed a standard operating procedure to be followed in all POCSO cases.

After a panel reportedly found no evidence of caste-based discrimination in his case, former IIT Madras assistant professor Vipin P Veetil wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a direct inquiry by the National Commission for Backward Classes. He has said that he would go on a hunger strike if his demand is not met.

NewsClick brings you a roundup of the happenings this week from Tamil Nadu.

COVID-19: CASES FALL, SCHOOLS REOPEN

After nearly four weeks, the daily COVID-19 cases dropped below 10,000 in Tamil Nadu on January 4, when the state added 9,916 new cases to the COVID-19 registry. However, the state reported 30 deaths by the end of the day and 1.5 lakh people were receiving treatment.

The weekly average test positivity rate fell to 15.70% on February 3 even as daily tests dropped to 1.2 lakh. However, the TPR is high in the Western districts; it is above 20% in five out of the eight districts.

The physical classes for students from classes I to XII resumed in Tamil Nadu on February 1 with pandemic guidelines.

GOVERNOR’S MOVE DRAWS FLAK

On the day the Tamil Nadu Governor returned the anti-NEET Bill to the Assembly, MPs from Opposition parties staged walkouts in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha in protest against RN Ravi’s move. They demanded a roll-back of the decision and also Governor Ravi’s immediate recall.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP P Wilson moved a private member Bill in the Rajya Sabha seeking to bring the subject of ‘education’ from the Concurrent List to the State List.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president K Annamalai demanded a white paper on the reasons spelt out by the Governor for returning the NEET Bill and the state government’s clarification.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) coordinator O Panneerselvam claimed that the Governor returned the NEET Bill because the government failed to be convincing.

The BJP and AIADMK boycotted the all-party meeting to discuss the further course of action regarding NEET chaired by MK Stalin on January 5. The meeting decided to send the Bill back to the Governor in toto.

Governor RN Ravi is scheduled to make a two-day visit to New Delhi from February 7 and is likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi to apprise them of the developments regarding the NEET Bill.

After four months of delaying the anti-NEET Bill, the Governor spoke in support of the NEET in the Republic Day speech and received heavy backlash. Read more

Meanwhile, VCK MP D Ravikumar on January 4, in a tweet, said that Stalin should take steps to identify a leader from Tamil Nadu as a candidate for the upcoming President election. No person with RSS background should be made either President or Vice-President, he said.

BJP, AIADMK TO CONTEST ULB POLLS SEPARATELY

The filing of nominations for the 649 Urban Local Body (ULB) in Tamil Nadu, scheduled for February 19, concluded on February 4. The total number of nominations are yet to be released by the state Election Commission.

After the BJP and AIADMK could not come to a mutual seat-sharing agreement, on February 1, the parties decided to contest separately. However, they have announced that their alliance has not come to an end. Read more

Reports have emerged that DMK cadres are flouting poll rules while police and officials turn a blind eye. AIADMK MLAs submitted a memorandum to the Coimbatore District Collector on January 4 urging for a democratic ULB polls and accused DMK, along with the election officials, of rejecting the nominations of AIADMK candidates.

TN GOES TO SC IN TANJORE GIRL DEATH CASE

The Tamil Nadu government has reached the Supreme Court against Madras High Court’s order for the CBI probe in the case wherein a 17-year old girl committed suicide and the BJP claimed that it was a case of forced conversion. However, the victim’s father has already filed a caveat in the SC as the state government was likely to challenge the direction given by the high court.

The DGP of Tamil Nadu Police has sought a stay on the Madras High Court's order directing the CBI probe, saying there are no circumstances warranting the transfer of the investigation to CBI.

Meanwhile, a ground report by The Federal read that the grandmother of a Class XII student alleged that the teenager had previously suffered physical abuse at the hands of her stepmother.

TN MOVES SC ON MULLAPERIYAR DAM

Tamil Nadu urged the Supreme Court to direct Kerala to provide all necessary assistance in a time-bound manner to complete maintenance works of the Mullaperiyar dam. It stated that the dam is behaving well and the seepage rate is found to be within the permissible limits.

Many river-linking projects were announced in the recent Union budget. Opposition Leader in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah of the Congress party, on February 4 said that the Centre taking such decisions without consulting states will result in more inter-state disputes over river water sharing. He has asked the Centre to call a meeting of CMs of southern states and also an all-party leaders’ meeting.

COURT ASKS SHUTTING DOWN OF TASMAC BARS

The Madras High court on February 4 ordered shutting down of bars attached with Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor outlets within six months citing that the law does not allow TASMAC to run bars attached with liquor shops.

The court said that only the licensing authority can give permission to run a bar can, and the TASMAC is a mere wholesale and retail dealer. The court also said TASMAC cannot promote consumption of liquor by consumers and seen in public places.