Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President Manickam Tagore on 18 August launched a sharp attack on All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), holding both parties responsible for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) crisis that has roiled Tamil Nadu's medical aspirants for years. Tagore accused Palaniswami of attempting to conceal what he called the AIADMK's 'historic betrayal' of Tamil Nadu students by deflecting blame onto the Congress.

AIADMK's Role in NEET Introduction

Tagore, posting on X, argued that NEET was never enforced in Tamil Nadu during the tenure of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. The examination was allowed to take effect only in 2017, after Palaniswami assumed office — a period when, according to Tagore, the AIADMK placed itself under the influence of the BJP-led Union government. He cited Minister Rajesh Kumar's explanation of the NEET issue in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly as further evidence of this record.

Tagore contended that it was the AIADMK administration — not the Congress — that enabled NEET's implementation and, in doing so, shattered the medical aspirations of thousands of students from ordinary and disadvantaged families. 'Attempts to shift the blame will not erase this historical fact,' he said.

BJP and the NTA Under Fire

Tagore also trained his criticism on the BJP government at the Centre, accusing it of vesting excessive powers in the National Testing Agency (NTA) and allowing NEET to be turned into what he described as a 'commercial market dominated by coaching-centre mafias.' He cited widespread allegations of question-paper leaks, corruption, and examination irregularities as evidence that the system had placed students under severe pressure.

Referring to the death of medical aspirant S. Anitha and those of other students linked to NEET-related distress, Tagore alleged that the Narendra Modi government continued to defend the examination despite its documented consequences for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Congress's Position and the Rahul Gandhi Assurance

Defending the Indian National Congress's (Congress) stance, Tagore said the party had consistently framed its policies with the interests of poor and ordinary students at the centre. He reiterated the assurance given by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi that any state opposed to NEET would be granted a complete exemption under a Congress government.

Using a pointed analogy, Tagore said policy must be shaped to fit the people it serves — 'shoes must be tailored to fit a person's feet, rather than cutting the feet to fit the shoes.'

Challenge to Palaniswami

Tagore issued a direct challenge to Palaniswami, questioning whether the former chief minister had the political will to break free from the BJP's influence, confront the Modi government, and unequivocally declare that Tamil Nadu did not want NEET. He asked whether Palaniswami could persuade his BJP ally to make the same commitment as Rahul Gandhi on NEET exemptions — a commitment Tagore suggested the AIADMK leadership lacked the courage to demand.

With NEET remaining a charged electoral and social issue in Tamil Nadu, the exchange signals that the debate over the examination's future in the state is far from settled.