NEET issue: Tamil Nadu minister deletes doctored video after outrage

Politics over National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) in Tamil Nadu took an ugly turn on Sunday with an AIADMK minister posting a “doctored” video featuring a voice similar to that of S Anitha, a medical aspirant who died by suicide after she failed to make it despite scoring distinction in plus two exams, asking students to “vote against” DMK.

As the video containing file shots of Anitha talking to media with a voice similar to that of hers went viral and the girl's family knocked at the doors of a police station, Tamil Development Minister 'MaFoi' K Pandiarajan deleted the tweet and feigned ignorance. Pandiarajan is contesting April 6 elections from Avadi near Chennai.

“I do not know how the video made it to my timeline. I did not upload the video. I am complaining to the police to find out who did this,” he said in a video after removing his tweet.

Anitha, then 17, died by suicide in September 2017 after she failed to make it to a medical college despite scoring 1176 out of 1200 in plus-two exams. She could not clear NEET. More than 12 students died by suicide in the past three years due to NEET making it a political issue.

S Manirathnam, brother of Anitha, also lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer seeking Pandiarajan's disqualification from the election process.