Tamil Nadu CM expresses confidence on Guv giving nod to 7.5 per cent quota bill

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Friday expressed confidence state Governor Banwari Lal Purohit will give assent to a bill to provide 7.5 per cent reservation in medical admission to government school students clearing NEET, soon.

He also slammed DMK President MK Stalin for writing to the governor on the issue, saying it was an attempt to create an "illusion" that he was responsible for a possible approval by Purohit on the matter.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had on September 15 unanimously passed a bill to provide 7.5 per cent horizontal quota in medical admissions for state government school students who clear the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

The governor is yet to give his assent and a group of five senior ministers had on Tuesday met him, seeking his nod for the quota move.

In a statement on Friday, Palaniswami said he had taken up the matter with Purohit when he called on him earlier this month and referred to his cabinet colleagues also making a similar request three days ago.

"I am very confident that the governor will give his approval to the bill soon, realising it will pave the way for ensuring equal justice to the poor students," he said. Purohit had told the ministerial delegation on October 20 that he will soon take a call on the matter, the chief minister added.

Training his guns against Stalin and referring to a Tamil usage which roughly means when things take shape, he said "people know very well that letter to governor and statements by the Leader of Opposition are attempts to create an illusion that everything happened because of them." "People know very well that these are aimed at seeking political mileage," he added.

The bill was passed in the Assembly by the government after detailed study and Stalin's "crocodile tears" will not create any ripples among the people, he said.

Hitting back at the main opposition party, he also accused the DMK and its ally Congress of "introducing" NEET and said they, therefore, had no locus standi to say the government was not exerting pressure on the governor in this issue.

Stalin had earlier written to Purohit seeking his immediate approval to the bill for the "fulfillment of the dream of government school students to an extent to pursue medicine as their profession." On the medical education front, the government had in the last nine years created 11 new medical collegs and added 3,050 seats, Palaniswami said.

(Photo Credit: PTI)