Amit Thackeray Demands Maharashtra Follow Tamil Nadu Stand on NEET
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Raj Thackeray on Thursday praised the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for passing a resolution seeking to abolish the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions, stating that Maharashtra should have taken a similar stand years ago.
In a statement, Thackeray highlighted the political unity displayed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, noting that opposition parties, including the Left, set aside their agendas, ideological differences, and egos to stand with the government for the future of students. He observed that while a lone BJP MLA chose to stage a walkout, the rest of the Assembly demonstrated genuine cross-party unity. Thackeray added that whether the resolution holds up with the Governor or the President is a legal matter for later, but commended the political courage shown to stand united for the state's youth.
Turning his attention to Maharashtra, Thackeray recalled that MNS chief Raj Thackeray had warned back in 2016 that NEET was a flawed, anti-student examination designed to penalize rural and vernacular-medium students in the state. However, he stated that those in power, both then and now, had refused to listen.
Thackeray launched a sharp critique against Maharashtra's current administration, claiming the state's politics is crippled by political arrogance and manufactured majorities, leading to an evaporation of accountable governance. He raised several constructive issues affecting young citizens, citing delays in Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations, paper leaks in the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), scams in Talathi recruitment, and poor infrastructure in schools and colleges. He stated that whenever the opposition raises these issues, they are dismissed as politically motivated.
Calling on Maharashtra’s ruling parties to learn from Tamil Nadu, Thackeray urged the government to shed its arrogance and stop steamrolling the opposition. He stated that the opposition would be the first to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the government if it takes bold decisions that genuinely benefit students, youth, and Marathi interests under the principle of "Maharashtra First... Politics Later!"
