Chennai: Tamil Nadu Assembly Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday criticised the arrest and brief detention of rapper and activist Arivarasu Kalainesan, popularly known as Therukkural Arivu, during his protest against the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), accusing the ruling TVK government of attempting to silence voices opposing the controversial medical entrance examination.
Kalainesan staged a protest outside the Tamil Nadu Secretariat in Chennai, urging Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to take a stronger stand against NEET and intensify efforts to secure its abolition. Police detained the rapper during the demonstration and escorted him away from the protest site.
In a dramatic turn of events, Kalainesan was later brought back to the Secretariat and invited to meet the Chief Minister.
During the meeting, he reportedly discussed concerns surrounding NEET and reiterated his demand that the State Government take a more aggressive political and legal stand on the issue. After the interaction, videos circulating on social media showed Minister Aadhav Arjuna accompanying him to the exit of the Secretariat.
Reacting to the developments, Udhayanidhi said the government’s decision to detain Kalainesan before meeting him sent contradictory signals.
In a post on X, the DMK leader described the rapper as his “dear brother” and said his protest reflected the sentiments of lakhs of students, parents and ordinary citizens who continue to oppose NEET.
According to Udhayanidhi, Kalainesan’s protest reflected the growing public demand to abolish the examination, which has remained a politically sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu for several years. He argued that detaining a peaceful protester was unnecessary and undermined democratic expression.
The Opposition leader also pointed out that protests against NEET were gaining momentum across the country, including demonstrations by students and youth organisations in New Delhi.
He said the detention of a prominent voice like Kalainesan could discourage young people in Tamil Nadu from participating in democratic protests against the examination.
Udhayanidhi further alleged that the NEET system was plagued by irregularities and had evolved into a major scam.
He maintained that governments should respond to public concerns by engaging with protesters rather than suppressing dissent, adding that voices demanding the abolition of NEET deserve to be heard instead of being silenced.
(IANS)
