'BJP govt not listening to voices of children': DMK's Dayanidhi Maran on NEET issue

New Delhi: During the Lok Sabha's Budget Session, in response to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressing questions on the NEET-UG paper leak issue, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Lok Sabha MP Dayanidhi Maran said that the ruling party is not listening to the voices of children.
"It is unfortunate that the BJP-led NDA government is not taking proper action or even listening to the voices of children. Today, the Opposition is raising its voice for the future concerns of children's lives," Maran said while speaking to ANI in the Parliament complex on Monday.
Questioning the availability of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) question papers abroad, the DMK leader said, "Why is it that NEET, which is already controversial, allows the question paper to be accessed abroad? Students living abroad, like in Japan, receive the question paper 24 hours ahead?"
Highlighting the number of NEET aspirants who have died by suicide recently, Maran questioned the government's apathy towards students who died in Kota, if not in Tamil Nadu.
"Moreover, I would like to ask about the number of suicides that have taken place - forget Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, more than 20 people have committed suicide. That is so painful for us. You want to forget Tamil Nadu, but what about Kota in Rajasthan, where the Honourable Speaker comes from? You are not worried about that," the DMK MP said.
Accusing the government of covering up the NEET paper leak issue, Maran criticized the ruling party, questioning why children have to suffer due to their "arrogance."
"You defend by saying that everything is okay. Everything is not okay. You want to cover it up with an investigation. Why should the children suffer because of your arrogance and inefficiency?" the DMK leader said.
Maran also suggested that the central government allow states the option not to conduct medical entrance examinations through NEET.
"Leave it to the states. Whichever state wants it, let them do it. Whichever does not want NEET, let them opt-out," he said.
The government has been facing criticism over the "paper leak" issue during the NEET-UG examination.
Calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET 'paper leak' issue, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said that the government is not ready to have a discussion on it.
"We also want our people's issues to be raised in Parliament. He (PM Modi) wants to divert from the real issues. We all want the Parliament to function, but the ruling party is not ready to have a discussion. NEET is an important issue on which we wanted to have a discussion. Till now, they are not ready to have a discussion. The education minister is a failed education minister. If he has any integrity or morality, he should have resigned," Tagore said.