Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai on Wednesday alleged that State BJP president K. Annamalai has been speaking in support of NEET because those running coaching centres in western Tamil Nadu supported his ‘padayatra’ financially.
In a statement, he said that Mr. Annamalai had been the only one to support the NEET in Tamil Nadu even as all other parties from the 139-year-old Tamil Nadu Congress to the newly formed actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam opposed it.
“It is widely believed that those who run NEET coaching centers in the Kongu region have financially supported Annamalai’s ‘padayatra’ because they benefit financially from the continuation of the NEET. These individuals wish for NEET to continue so they can keep earning large sums of money. Annamalai’s open support for NEET, based on such vested interests, positions him against Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu will never forgive Annamalai for his actions that harm the future of Tamil Nadu’s students,” he said.
Mr. Selvaperunthagai said that Tamil Nadu BJP had been facing severe allegations that anti-social elements found refuge in the party for over 10 years. In this context, a shocking incident occurred where nine individuals, including a YouTuber and a BJP leader, had been arrested at Chennai airport for smuggling 267 kg gold worth ₹167 crore over two months.
Photos of Sabeer Ali, involved in the airport gold smuggling, and Prithvi, a member of the Tamil Nadu BJP’s student wing, with BJP leaders including Prime Minister Modi, Nirmala Sitharaman, J.P. Nadda, and Annamalai, have appeared. What answer does Annamalai, who claims to be a crusader against corruption, have for aiding in the smuggling of gold worth ₹167 crores?” he asked.
