Holds meeting with Non BJP chief Ministers
Our Correspondents
Joining issue with Students and several chief minister for postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today said that the Centre was dealing “uncaringly” with students’ problems and the exams issue.
“We have to work and fight together against Central government,” she said at the meeting with many of the Opposition Chief Ministers to discuss the issue.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with many of the Opposition Chief Ministers to discuss the issue.
There has been massive protests in recent days, with students, political leaders and even international figures demanding that the Centre retract its decision to go ahead with the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).
The Congres chief said, “I request the state governments, let us do it together. Let`s go to the Supreme Court and request it to postpone it for the time being (till) the situation is right. We stand by our students, whatever help they require, we are willing to do it.”
In her introductory remarks, Sonia Gandhi said she agreed with Banerjee and Thackeray that all opposition-ruled states should together fight the Centre for their rights, adding “We have to work together and fight together against the Central government.”
Sonia Gandhi convened a virtual meeting of chief ministers of opposition-ruled states to discuss the key issues confronting them. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and chief ministers of Congress-ruled states Amarinder Singh, Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and V Narayanasamy attended the meeting.
Gandhi termed the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation as “anti-democratic” and alleged that the laws to protect the environment and public health are being weakened by the Modi government.
She said announcements like the National Education Policy should worry the opposition as they are a setback for secular and scientific values and reveal the “insensitivity” of the government.
Sonia Gandhi also raised the issues concerning GST dues of states, the draft Environment Impact Assessment notification and National Education Policy. Banerjee said that apart from the movement of trains being hampered, the COVID-19 pandemic has also had a negative impact on the mental health of the students.
Uddhav Thackeray
Mahrashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray too was of a similar mind. Speaking of the educational situation as a whole he said that one could not “step back once we step forward”. The CM said that the state was gradually reopening and that there was no point in hurrying.
“We will start education but not schools. Aditya has given a letter to the Centre that this educational year should be taken ahead. Hence we suggested January for new academic year,” he said.
Mamata Banerjee
The West Bengal Chief Minister has urged all CMs to collectively move the Supreme Court for the postponement of the exams.
“More than 4,500 centres and lakhs of students are involved. Rail not functional, transport not working properly and there is a pandemic going on,” she noted.
Thanking Sonia Gandhi for giving her the opportunity to convene a meeting, Banerjee said that “we stand with our students”.
“Whatever help they require, we are willing to do,” she added.
Hemant Soren
Speaking at the meeting, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that holding the exams would necessitate the reopening of the transport system despite the pandemic.
“We will have to reopen all buses and transportation amidst coronavirus. Students will not come alone. They will come with parents. This will increase the population,” he noted.
Soren said that when it came to exams, there would also be people coming from neighbouring states at times. “So if the exams happen, we have to open all buses and hotels as parents also come,” he reiterated, calling for a delay. He urged everyone to work jointly on this issue.
“I feel opposition voice should be raised so that they cannot divert our attention,” he added.
Naveen Patnaik
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday urged the Centre to take steps for postponing the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) as it will be unsafe for students to physically appear in the exams in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has scheduled to conduct the medical and engineering entrance exams – NEET and JEE (Main) – in September.
In a letter to Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the chief minister said, there are over 50,000 aspirants from Odisha for the NEET and JEE (Main) this year.
“However, the NTA has opened examination centres for the said tests in only seven townships of the state,” he said.
In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic in the country, it would be perilous for the students to visit the test centres physically to appear in the tests, Patnaik said.
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