TN: Dhinakaran gives Rs 15 lac to kin of girl who killed self over NEET issue

Ariyalur: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTVDhinakaran on Saturday gave Rs 15 lakh to the family of S Anitha, a medical aspirant and an anti-NEET petitioner who allegedly committed suicide on September 1.

He also lashed out at the K Palanisamy-led "anti-people" Tamil Nadu government for not getting exemption for the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for at least this year.

Dhinakaran told reporters in Ariyalur that the 20 AIADMK MLAs loyal to him, including the 18 disqualified ones, had together donated Rs 10 lakh from their salaries, while Rs five lakh were given from the party funds to the family of Anitha on the directions of AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala.

"We are not seeking any political mileage by providing this assistance. Such an incident should not recur and we should not allow our rights to be snatched away," he said. Taking a dig at the ruling dispensation, Dhinakaran said the "anti-people" government had failed to get an exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET for even a year.

He added that Chief Minister Palanisamy and state Health Minister C Vijayabaskar had, however, dropped many hints in this regard.

Dhinakaran likened Anitha's death to a personal tragedy and urged the political parties of Tamil Nadu to rise above their differences to fight issues such as the NEET and hydrocarbon projects at Neduvasal and Kathiramangalam.

Apparently upset over the state not being exempted from the common eligibility test for admission into medical colleges, Anitha (17) had allegedly hanged herself at her house in this district, She had earlier moved the Supreme Court against the NEET.